Accounting & Finance Masterclasses: Certificate Course

Course Category : Finance

This certificate masterclass brings together accounting, finance, governance, and risk management in an integrated programme, enabling participants to interpret financial information, navigate capital markets, and support value-driven strategic decisions.
Duration:10 Days
Level: Advanced

Introduction

In today’s complex business environment, understanding accounting and finance is no longer the exclusive responsibility of finance specialists. Executives, managers, and decision-makers across functions must be able to interpret financial statements, assess performance, appreciate risk, and understand how capital markets influence corporate value and governance.
This Accounting & Finance Masterclasses: Certificate Course provides an integrated view of financial reporting, budgeting, cost behaviour, working capital, capital structure, investment appraisal, risk management, and corporate governance. Combining conceptual foundations with practical tools, real-world examples, and case studies, the programme equips participants with the financial insight required to support strategic planning, evaluate business performance, and contribute effectively to value creation and sound governance..

Targeted Specializations

Financial Analysts
Financial Controllers and Finance Managers
Accountants in corporate and public entities
Treasurers and Cash Managers
Corporate Planning & Strategy Professionals
Members of Operational Management Teams
Consultants in business, finance, and strategy
Managers responsible for risk control
Managers are accountable for divisional performance
Senior staff across functional departments

Targeted Skills

Reading and interpreting financial statements
Understanding key accounting concepts and standards
Analysing profitability and cash flow dynamics
Preparing and evaluating budgets and forecasts
Understanding cost behaviour and cost–volume–profit relationships
Applying discounted cash flow and investment appraisal tools
Managing working capital and liquidity
Assessing capital structure and cost of capital (WACC)
Applying financial risk-management concepts
Understanding corporate governance structures and practices

Expected Outcomes

Define the scope and purpose of corporate financial reporting.
Understand the links between the income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement.
Use financial statements to evaluate organisational performance.
Apply time-value-of-money and discounted cash flow techniques.
Develop and analyse budgets, including variance analysis.
Interpret cost behaviour and its impact on pricing and profitability.
Assess working capital efficiency and liquidity risk.
Understand capital structure choices and estimate the cost of capital.
Apply investment appraisal tools such as NPV, IRR, PI, and MIRR.
Appreciate how risk management and corporate governance support sustainable value creation.

Training Topics Index

What accounting is and the main forms
Profit definition and relevance to stakeholders
Decision scenarios using accounting information
Funding business operations
Cash versus accrual basis
Cash-flow forecasting and improvement
Company accounting policies and standards overview

Income statement components. revenues and cost structures
Non-cash items. depreciation, amortisation, impairment, depletion
Difference between profit and cash flow
Analysing costs, expenses, and margins
Balance sheet. assets, liabilities, equity, capital employed
Working capital cycle management
Cash flow statement. operating, investing, and financing sections
Extracting key figures and performance indicators

The master budget and its roles
Sales budgeting as the main driver
Operating and financial budgets
Pro forma financial statements and cash budgets
Capital budgeting and financial projections
Business growth dynamics and financial models
Flexible versus traditional budgets
Variance analysis, price and volume effects

Objectives of management accounting
Differences and links between financial and management accounting
Roles of financial and management accountants
Cost terminology and classifications
Cost behaviour and cost-volume-profit analysis
Breakeven and target profit analysis
Cost–benefit and relevant-cost concepts

Defining value and value drivers
Responsibility centres. cost, profit, and investment
Measuring segment performance and reporting
Business valuation perspectives
Managing for shareholder value
Evolution of value-based planning and budgeting
Value creation in restructuring and combinations

Nature and components of finance
Working capital concepts and current ratio
Components. inventory, receivables, cash, payables, notes payable
Key working-capital ratios and interpretation
Questions to ask and signals to monitor

Equity capital and required return
Debt capital and cost of borrowing
Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC) and its importance
Calculating WACC and using it in decisions
Operating and financial leverage
Combined leverage and its impact on earnings

Time value of money and cash flows
Capital project evaluation process
Estimating project cash flows
NPV, IRR, PI, and MIRR as decision tools
Approval criteria and post-implementation reviews
Dealing with risk, uncertainty, and changing assumptions
Cost of capital benchmarks and hurdle rates

Understanding uncertainty, risk, and opportunity
Strategic, operational, and financial risks
Assessing risks and defining risk appetite
Performance measures and need for FRM/ERM
Quantitative and qualitative risk perspectives
Extended risk issues. JV, liability, environment, outsourcing, growth, R&D, disasters, supply chain, reputation

Scope and environment of corporate governance
Relevance and perspectives. shareholders vs stakeholders
Voluntary vs enforced governance
Board structures, independence, and roles
Governance models, structures, and practices
Emerging trends and regulations
Principal–agent theory and independence in substance vs appearance

Course Features

Modern and practical content
Real-world examples and leadership exercises
Pre- and post-course assessments to measure impact
Accredited certificate with QR code verification

Accounting & Finance Masterclasses: Certificate Course