Boardroom Finance: Strategy for Directors Training Course

In today’s fast-paced corporate environment, directors are expected to do more than simply attend board meetings and provide oversight. They play a vital role in shaping corporate strategy, ensuring responsible capital allocation, and safeguarding shareholder value. With financial markets increasingly complex and stakeholders demanding greater transparency, directors must possess a sophisticated understanding of financial oversight and governance frameworks.

The C69. Boardroom Finance: Strategy for Directors program, offered by Oxford Training (OTC), has been specifically designed to equip board members, non-executive directors, and senior leaders with the tools and insights necessary to enhance their effectiveness in the boardroom. The course explores key areas such as investment policy, board reporting, governance structures, and long-term growth strategies. By integrating financial literacy with strategic vision, directors will be better prepared to align organizational resources with shareholder interests while maintaining accountability and ethical leadership.

Objective

Program Objectives

1. The program seeks to strengthen directors’ ability to influence corporate direction by focusing on the intersection of finance, governance, and strategy. Its objectives include:
2. Enhancing Financial Acumen – Equipping directors with the skills to interpret complex financial statements, assess capital allocation decisions, and evaluate investment policies with confidence.
3. Strengthening Corporate Strategy Alignment – Ensuring directors can link financial oversight to broader strategic goals, including sustainable long-term growth and value creation.
4. Improving Board Reporting and Communication – Providing tools for directors to critically review management reports, identify key performance indicators, and communicate effectively with stakeholders.
5. Advancing Governance Frameworks – Offering insights into global best practices in governance, compliance, and fiduciary responsibilities, ensuring directors meet regulatory and ethical standards.
6. Supporting Shareholder Value Creation – Developing approaches for directors to balance short-term financial pressures with the pursuit of sustainable shareholder returns.
7. Building Confidence in Oversight Roles – Giving directors the confidence to ask the right questions, challenge assumptions, and participate actively in board discussions regarding risk, finance, and strategy.

Target Audience

The Boardroom Finance: Strategy for Directors program is intended for professionals who hold, or aspire to hold, strategic leadership roles within organizations. The target participants include:

1. Non-Executive Directors (NEDs) – Individuals seeking to strengthen their financial and strategic oversight skills to contribute effectively to board decision-making.
2. Executive Directors and Senior Leaders – Managers transitioning into governance roles who need to bridge the gap between operational responsibilities and board-level strategy.
3. Aspiring Board Members – Professionals preparing to take on director roles who wish to develop financial confidence before entering the boardroom.
4. Corporate Governance Specialists – Compliance officers, legal advisors, and governance professionals who support boards and want a deeper understanding of finance-driven decision-making.
5. Institutional Investors and Advisors – Stakeholders who engage with boards and require insights into how directors approach financial oversight and investment policy.
6. By addressing the needs of this diverse audience, the program ensures participants gain both the technical knowledge and the strategic perspective required to succeed in governance roles.

Course Content

The program is structured into key modules that combine conceptual knowledge with practical application. Each module addresses an essential aspect of boardroom finance and strategic governance.

Module 1: Financial Foundations for Directors
This opening module builds financial literacy, helping directors interpret balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow reports. Participants will learn how to identify key financial ratios, analyze business performance, and assess liquidity and solvency. Special emphasis is placed on understanding the link between financial data and strategic decision-making.

Module 2: Capital Allocation and Investment Policy
Directors must ensure that capital is deployed effectively to generate sustainable shareholder value. This module covers capital budgeting, cost of capital, dividend policy, and investment evaluation techniques. Participants will examine real-world scenarios to understand how boards assess mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures, and the impact of these decisions on long-term growth.

Module 3: Corporate Strategy and Financial Oversight
Corporate strategy cannot be separated from financial oversight. This module explores how directors evaluate strategic initiatives through a financial lens. Topics include aligning financial resources with corporate goals, assessing competitive advantage, and monitoring the execution of strategy through performance metrics. Case studies illustrate how strong oversight can support both resilience and innovation.

Module 4: Governance Frameworks and Fiduciary Duties
Directors hold significant responsibilities in ensuring ethical and effective governance. This module examines global governance frameworks, including regulatory standards, risk management, and compliance obligations. It highlights the fiduciary duties of directors and their role in protecting stakeholder interests. Practical sessions will allow participants to test their knowledge against governance dilemmas.

Module 5: Board Reporting and Effective Communication
Boards rely on accurate, timely, and transparent reporting to make informed decisions. This module teaches participants how to interpret management reports, question underlying assumptions, and ensure accountability. It also covers best practices in board communication, enabling directors to convey financial insights clearly to shareholders, regulators, and other stakeholders.

Module 6: Shareholder Value and Long-Term Growth
The final module addresses the director’s role in balancing immediate financial pressures with the pursuit of sustainable long-term value. Participants will explore shareholder engagement, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations, and emerging trends in responsible investment. Discussions will highlight strategies for driving growth while maintaining trust and credibility with investors and society at large.