The objectives of the seminar are to provide delegates with the necessary tools and techniques to enable delegates to:

• Develop effective corporate financial plans aimed at maximising return and minimising risk
  
• Evaluate the various methods of finance and make successful capital investment decisions
• Prepare, manage and control budgets to support the corporate financial plans
• Identify and manage financial risk effectively
• Measure and manage performance effectively
• Create opportunities for your personal development and increased financial awareness

At the end of this seminar, you will learn to:

• The concept of agency theory.
  
• Risk management
• Managing and controlling cash flow.
• Time-adjusted valuation methods.
• Financial projections.
• SWOT analysis.

Corporate Financial Planning

• Strategic Planning
• The Objective of the Firm – meeting Shareholder & Stakeholder Objectives.
• Agency Theory – the relationship between Shareholders & Management.
• Creative Accounting and the Case of Enron
• Financial Management & Financial Planning – the Scope, Role & Responsibilities of Financial Management
• Preparing a Financial Plan – The Master Budget
• Forecasting Future Cash-flows and Financial Modelling
• Time Series Analysis, Correlation & Regression

Financing the Plan

• Sources of Finance – Long Term & Short Term
• Evaluation of the Types of Finance- Equity versus Debt Finance
• Hybrid Finance & Financial Engineering
• The Dividend Decision
• The Cost of Capital and Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC)
• Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM)
• Accounting Rate of Return (ARR)
• Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR) Capital Rationing & Payback.

Preparing & Managing Budgets to support the Financial Plans

• Definition of Budgets, the Budgetary Process and Budgetary Control.
• Types of Budgets-Fixed, Flexible, Incremental and Zero Based.
• The Purpose/Benefits & Problems/Limitations of Budgets
• Setting/Implementing Effective Budgets – Eliminating the Problems
• Responsibility Accounting and Absorption Costing,
• Activity Based Budgeting/Costing (ABB, ABC)
• Variance Analysis, Cost Behaviour, Break Even Analysis & Sensitivity/What If Analysis.
• What-If Analysis combined with Du-Pont Analysis

Managing and Controlling Cash flow to support the Financial Plan

• Cash versus Profit & The Cash Conversion Cycle
• Calculating and Managing the Cash flow Cycle
• Cash Flow Ratios
• Working Capital
• The Cost of Maintaining Working Capital
• Maintaining the Optimum level of Working Capital
• Working Investment Ratios
• Preparing a Monthly Cash Flow Forecast

Managing Financial Risk

• Risk Management & Types of Risk
• Identifying Risk – SWOT Analysis
• The Major Quantitative & Qualitative Risks Facing Companies
• Establishing a Risk Management Strategy
• Financial Risk Management & Hedging Techniques.
• Managing Exchange Rate & Interest Rate Risk
• Derivatives-Forwards, Futures, Options & Swaps
• Risk Management Glossary of Terms.

Managers and those with financial responsibilities

• Financial decision makers, whose techniques of decision making and analysis will be improved through attendance
• Professionals acting upon the financial decisions of others, who will gain an appreciation for decision making thereby ensuring shared values within the organisation
• Analysts whose role involves evaluating and identifying market and competitive trends
• Junior managers involved in risk managements.
• Managers involved in planning and decision making.
• Financial planner.