Gone are the times when board members could listen to the CFO, smile, and candidly state that finance was not their piece of cake.
In a fast-changing and increasingly competitive business environment, you are expected to have a solid grasp of finance so you can constructively challenge the management team on finance reports, and make strategic decisions based on hard finance data.
IMD’s Finance for Boards is designed to give you the essential finance knowledge you need to make tough decisions for your company in areas such as mergers & acquisitions as well as risk management. You will develop an awareness of the deep financial implications of your strategic choices.
Developed and led by the IMD Global Board Center, this program is grounded in the latest insights and best practices, empowering you to lead the future of governance with confidence and foresight.
You can join the program for a standalone learning experience, or as part of one of IMD’s board diploma pathways.
Experience the program
“A lot of room to experiment and practice the theory we learn.” – Discover the program highlights & hear more from past participants and Program Director, Salvatore Cantale.
Senior Vice President, General Manager
Sumitomo Pharma
Switzerland
Chief Executive Officer
Adaptive Intelligence
United States of America
Business Consultant, Chief Growth Officer, Gulf region
Stylenap s.r.o.
United Arab Emirates
Former Reinsurance COO and Group CTO at Swiss Re
Switzerland
Supervisory Board Member, BB Seguridade & COPEL, Brazil
IMD’s Finance for Boards program provided exceptional clarity, translating complex financial concepts without losing depth. Even with a strong finance background, I struggled to bridge the gap with non-experts and define what belongs at the board level versus the executive level. This program made a remarkable difference.
Chief Financial Officer, Raiffeisen BANK dd BIH, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Everything I took away from this program will have an applicability in the board structure we have. I will, for sure, apply many of the concepts.
Non Executive Board Member and Chair of the Sustainability & Ethics Committee at Stora Enso, Finland
Finance for Boards gave me an excellent overview of my strengths and weaknesses, and how to work with both.
Driving financial performance
- Explore the main determinants of value creation (operational and financial KPIs and the relevant value drivers).
- Review the financials of several companies and make sense of the numbers.
- Discuss asset-based measures of financial performance (ROIC and/or ROCE), and market- related KPIs, such as PE and PEG ratios.
- Address cost of capital considerations (including WACC).
Capital structure, ESG financing for boards, and Mergers & Acquisitions
- Address capital structure and risk appetite.
- Examine the determinants of capital structure choices.
- Look at the options available to companies striving to finance a green transition.
- Understand the key success factors in M&A and learn best-in-class practices.
- Take part in an M&A simulation.
Length: 2 days on campus.
“Together, we analyze real-life examples of transactions brought to the board for decision making. You will be asked to challenge financial reports and make informed recommendations.”
Salvatore Cantale is Professor of Finance. His academic and consulting work is divided into two different but complementary streams. First, he works at the intersection between strategy, business models, and financial results. He also sheds light on the relationship between ESG and finance, with the aim of increasing the understanding of how ESG policies impact both sustainability outcomes and financial results, and of helping companies navigate ESG ambitions and regulatory requirements.
In the…
Salvatore Cantale is Professor of Finance. His academic and consulting work is divided into two different but complementary streams. First, he works at the intersection between strategy, business models, and financial results. He also sheds light on the relationship between ESG and finance, with…
Salvatore Cantale is Professor of Finance. His academic and consulting work is divided into two different but complementary streams. First, he works at the intersection between strategy, business models, and financial results. He also sheds light on…
Two pathways to board excellence
