Overview

The Modern Finance Leader 2026The Modern Finance Leader 2026 will comprise 4 MasterTopics. Each MasterTopic will be multi-subject, presenting elements from some or all of the MasterTopics: Business Strategy, Business Finance, Corporate Valuation and Finance Strategies for Growth.MasterTopic 1 - Business StrategyStrategy is the art of creating superior performance. It defines the business the organisation is in, and how to structure and manage the organisation for long term success. This MasterTopic explains the process and practice of formulating the strategy of individual business units - competitive strategy - and the nature of strategy for the multi-business firm - corporate strategy.Students develop the ability to apply strategy models in the structured analysis of business issues, devise and evaluate future plans of action. They consider how organizations align internal resourcesand capabilities with the external competitive and macro-economic environment to formulate strategy.The MasterTopic will cover:1. Goals and Strategies2. Competitive Advantage3. Industry Analysis4. Strategy and Change5. Diversification6. Global Strategy7. Managing the Multi-business Company8. Strategy Process and PracticeMasterTopic 2 - Business FinanceThis MasterTopic identifies the sources of investor value, and uses them to think about portfolio composition, investment choices, and corporate financial decisions.Students acquire a detailed understanding of risk and return. They use the Capital Asset Pricing Model as the framework for a detailed discussion of portfolio theory and the cost of capital. The insights generated from this analysis are employed in a discussion of cash flow analysis and its application to investment appraisal, and to business entry and exit decisions. The corporation's financing choices are related to tax considerations and to a wider discussion of agency effects within the firm.The MasterTopic will cover:1. Introduction to finance2. Risk, return, and portfolio theory3. The Capital Asset Pricing Model and the Cost of Capital4. Cash flow analysis and project appraisal5. Financing choices and shareholder value6. Taxation and corporate finance7. Corporate governanceMasterTopic 3 - Corporate ValuationThis concluding course incorporates knowledge developed throughout the programme and provides the in-depth understanding and ability to make optimal strategic investment decisions. In explaining themechanics of corporate valuation, we also discuss how to create (and destroy) corporate value. We demonstrate that valuation is not a precise science, and that the strategic fit and successful integration of projects is as important as the calculation and analysis of a number.The course sharpens valuation skills in a variety of contexts including the valuation of human capital, firms in financial distress, valuation in a competitive environment and in a private equity setting.Applications include large-scale investment projects, brand launches, venture capital investments, IPOs, mergers, diversification decisions, R & D, and joint ventures.The MasterTopic will cover:1. Fundamentals of Valuation2. DCF and Project Analysis3. Valuing Human Capital4. Value Creation5. Relative Valuation6. Valuation in a Competitive Environment7. Valuation Under Financial Distress8. Valuation in a Private Equity SettingMasterTopic 4 - Financial Strategies for GrowthThis course is a practical examination of the various methods used by companies to expand their businesses including organic growth, minority equity investing, joint ventures, acquisitions and other forms of strategic alliances. Students will analyse both top down strategic and immediate tactical plans for growth and the pros and cons of each. We will review the unique legal, cultural and procedural issues involved when a company attempts to expand globally.Financial modelling, due diligence and integration techniques will be examined to show the common elements of successful growth strategies and areas to be avoided. We will cover Mergers and Acquisition and seek to understand whether, and how, they create value. Students will analyse the relationship between company owners and managers, focusing on how conflicts between them are resolved. Students will leave with a solid, tangible and practical awareness of the best ways to grow organizations given a particular situation and the pitfalls to avoid.The MasterTopic will cover:1. Developing a Strategy2. Financial Analysis and Due Diligence3. Mergers and Acquisitions4. International Growth5. Combining Growth Strategies

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