CERTIFIED FINANCE DIRECTOR

CORE SUBJECTS

Leadership and Conflict Resolution

Leadership and Conflict Resolution is a field of study that involves organisational governance, and how organisational processes are structured in order to prevent and/or resolve disputes in the workplace. There are a large number of leadership styles and conceptions, each of which may have different consequences for the way conflicts are handled within the organisational space. This course analyses democratic leadership, authoritarian leadership, transformational leadership, etc. to make sense of the question what is the most efficient, effective and expeditious way to minimise employee-employee and/or employee-customer relational problems.

The principal objectives of the course are the following:

• Understand the sources of organisational conflict and develop strategies to diagnose conflict-laden situations
• Establish procedures to respond to conflict conditions optimally in settings marked by uncertainty and a lack of direction
• Understand the concept of leadership within the corporate dispute resolution framework and explain the contribution of various leadership dynamics to divergent conflict scenarios
• Synthesise the theories of leadership and conflict resolution to implement effective conflict prevention norms, strategies and measures
• Define the evolution of leadership processes in the global workplace and learn how this evolution leads to new challenges to conflict resolution, especially with reference to cross-cultural dynamics

Organisational Behaviour and Corporate Governance

This module relates the study of organisational behaviour to that of corporate governance, and provides an integrated view by embracing both theory and practice. Students will gain an in-depth understanding of Corporate Governance rules, norms, functions and standards to situate organisational behaviour into real-life corporate contexts. The module will involve a thorough investigation of how regulatory bodies in the UK impact on corporate behaviour and choices, and how the prevailing corporate culture conditions the way in which organisational behaviour takes shape in the daily running of businesses.

The principal objectives of the course are the following:

• Analyse and evaluate the impact of managerial behaviour as well as corporate governance practices and structure on organisational effectiveness
• Discuss in context the linkage between current theory and practice regarding the behaviour of the principal actors within a given corporate framework
• Collect and analyse appropriate evidence to adopt balanced and high value-added guidelines for organisational action
• Using the leading corporate governance theories from the relevant literatures, gain the ability to plan and implement tasks at a professional level, and attain decision skills regarding complex and unpredictable contexts of organisational behaviour
• Contextualise the knowledge, competencies and practical skills from the module and apply this to real world project contexts and activities

OPTIONAL SUBJECTS

Bottom Line Management

Bottom line management is a complex and multidimensional field of inquiry that is, at a core level, based on how a business is organised, what its commercial nature is about and where its cost and revenue priorities lie. For most companies the bottom line has been traditionally conceived as the net income stream. In the new economic order, however, instead of maximizing shareholder value, companies are concerned with maximising stakeholder value; and as a result the bottom line encompasses more than just the single-minded pre-occupation with profit considerations. Although profit is still a primary goal of most organisations, the current climate brings forth non-financial motivations as significant aims to satisfy even in financial sector companies. This module will cover both the traditional conception of the bottom-line and the currently evolving view of what bottom-line can variously represent.

The principal objectives of the course are the following:

• A complete and thorough understanding of the theories and implementation schemes of bottom-line management techniques, approaches and strategies
• Gain an expansive exposure to different types of organisations in order to understand their bottom-line priorities and differentiate between them
• Acquire a sophisticated skill-set in order to analyse current and future projects, investment options, product portfolios and aspects of a company’s overheads to make the right bottom-line decisions under varying conditions
• Understand the various financial indicators and underlying fundamentals of a business operation to diagnose bottom-line issues and puzzles, and quantify bottom-line problems to create effective and innovative solutions.

Company Valuations and Mergers and Acquisitions

This course is designed to involve two significant aspects of finance, namely, corporate valuations and mergers and acquisitions, in order to equip students with advanced knowledge and skills to be successful investment banking professionals. The Free Cash Flows to the firm, Capital Asset Pricing Model, the Fama-French three factor model, derivatives pricing, etc. may inform some of the central discussions as the course progresses through the valuation sections.

Mergers and Acquisitions will then be analysed within the context of various valuation frameworks, historical perspectives, current and future market dynamics and underlying macroeconomic fundamentals. Participants gain an expert perspective on short-termism and implications for long-term investments. Finally, the course will involve a clear and concrete analysis of mergers and acquisition strategy, why some strategies fail and others work under varying conditions, the nature of bid tactics and the overall importance of sound due diligence implementation in formulating mergers and acquisitions deals to begin with.

The principal objectives of the course are the following:

• Understand valuation models, techniques and approaches in order to make viable judgements regarding asset pricing and corporate value determination
• Recognise the value and importance of divergent corporate structuring approaches in the market place
• Attain a sophisticated grasp of the underlying strategies involved in hostile versus friendly take-overs and use this knowledge to successfully initiate and complete complex acquisition deals
• Acquire knowledge of synergies that may or may not exist between any two companies within the market in order to assess future value potential of merger alternatives

Project Management

Project Management has been set so that the professional can acquire the necessary tools, techniques and approaches to develop, maintain, control and deliver projects more efficiently and effectively. This course will consider the whole project life cycle, influencing factors, determination of goals, objectives and the scope of the project from the strategic standpoint. Significant phases, activities, milestones and controls allow the successful project manager to develop a complete picture, recognise and understand where variances are occurring in relation to the plan and know how these can be brought back on track with the appropriate control mechanisms.

The principal objectives of the course are the following:

• Attain a core conception of what project management stands for and how it can be used to enhance flexibility, speed and reliability in arranging and completing complex and multidimensional business tasks
• Achieve a sound basis of knowledge in using project tools and techniques to finalise project risk analysis, project life cycle management, project control processes and project change management
• Gain a strong understanding of planning, analysing, sequencing and scheduling the key elements of a project
• Master best practices and industry-leading standards in project documentation, project progression and project closure based on the sophisticated use of specialised project management software

Treasury Management

This module involves the management of the treasury functions of corporations with a view toward establishing a thorough knowledge of monetary flows and how they are controlled, regulatory activities regarding various financing options, treasury risk management and opportunity management. Funding strategies with respect to current and future investments, liquidity constraints management, monitoring treasury activities, capital and asset requirements form significant aspects of the course.

The principal objectives of the course are the following:

• Gain the theoretical as well as practical knowledge of how to apply and interpret the major treasury management principles involving corporations of various sizes.
• Establish a high level of professional understanding with respect to the management of debt, capital, liquidity, funding and risk with a view toward grasping their consequences and interdependent dynamics
• Acquire sophisticated awareness of international and country-specific auditing principles and requirements, and facilitate a clear understanding of how to meet the various legal requirements set by international and country-specific regulatory bodies
• Monitor and limit risk exposure in order to take calculated risks designed to enhance value and discard unnecessary risks that serve to deflate value