Finance for Non-Finance Professionals

Introduction: Empowering Leaders Through Financial Fluency

In today’s fast-evolving global economy, decision-making is no longer confined to financial departments alone. Leaders at every level—whether steering multinational corporations or driving initiatives in the public sector—are expected to understand the financial implications of their strategies, investments, and operations.

The Finance for Non-Finance Professionals course is meticulously crafted to bridge the gap between strategic vision and financial execution. Through a carefully sequenced series of modules, participants will gain practical insights that can be directly applied to organizational planning, performance measurement, and long-term value creation.

Target Audience

The course is primarily designed for senior professionals, CEOs, business owners, department heads, entrepreneurs, non/finance managers/executives, and operational managers—who seek to strengthen their financial acumen without needing to become accountants.

Objectives:

The course aims to provide non-finance professionals with a foundational understanding of key financial concepts, tools, and principles, enabling them to make informed decisions, communicate effectively with financial teams, and enhance their overall business acumen.

Methodology:

• Instructor-led interactive sessions with real-world examples
• Interactive case studies and group exercises
• Use of application software for financial analysis
• Role-playing and decision-making simulations

Expected Outcome:

It is expected that by the end of the course, the participants will be able to:

• gain insights into financial fundamentals

• understand the importance and use of financial analysis and the key metrics

• strengthen their knowledge of budgeting and controlling

• build an understanding of the different financial tools and software

• develop an in-depth knowledge of capital budgeting and investment analysis

• learn the different financial costing methods and profitability analysis

Contents

Module 1: Understanding Financial Basics

• Key Financial Terminology

• The Key Financial Statements

• Accounting Cycle

• Income Statement (Profit & Loss Statement) Key components and their significance

• Accrual basis vs cash basis

• Balance Sheet: How to read and interpret

• Cash Flow Statement: Importance in Business Operations

• The cycle of financial statements

Module 2: Financial Analysis and Key Metrics

• Importance and Use of Financial Ratios

• Ratio Analysis

• Liquidity Ratios (Current Ratio, Quick Ratio)

• Profitability Ratios (Gross Profit Margin, Net Profit Margin)

• Efficiency Ratios (Asset Turnover, Inventory Turnover)

• Leverage Ratios (Debt-to-Equity Ratio)

• Solvency Ratios

• Activity Ratios

• Limitations of financial ratio analysis

• Return on Investment (ROI) and Its Application

• Interpreting Financial Data for Business Decisions

Module 3: Budgeting and Controlling

• What is Budgeting? Importance of Budget in Business

• Budget and Strategy

• Budgeting Process and Best Practices

• Different Budgeting Approaches

Module 4: Capital Budgeting and Investment Analysis

• Introduction to Capital Budgeting: Concepts and Their Importance

• Time value of money: A prerequisite for investment decisions

• The Cost of Capital

• Tools for Capital Budgeting

• Non-discounted Cash Flow Techniques

• Payback Period

• Return on Investment

• Discounted Cash Flow Techniques

• Net Present Value (NPV)

• Internal Rate of Return (IRR)

• Modified Internal Rate of Return

• Benefit-Cost Ratio or Profitability Index

• Discounted Payback Period

• Comparisons Between Discounted Cash Flow Techniques

• NPV Profiles and Conflicting Rankings

Module 5: Costing Methods and Profitability Analysis

• Direct Costs vs. Indirect Costs

• Fixed vs. Variable Costs

• Costing Methods:

• Absorption Costing

• Marginal Costing

• Activity-based Costing (ABC)

• Profitability Analysis: How to assess the profitability of a product/ service

Module 6: Strategic Finance and Decision Making

• Linking finance to strategy

  • Financial implications of business decisions

    • Communicating with finance teams

Contact Detail:

Mr. Fazle Karim: Program Director, (+66) 2 524 5311

AIT Extension, Asian Institute of Technology (AIT)
58 Moo 9, KM 42, Paholyothin Highway
Khlong Luang, Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani 12120. THAILAND

E-mail: extension@ait.asia

Mrs. Pansiri Vasitthakampol, Sr. Admin. Officer (Admission), (+66) 2 524 5338.