Creating Financial Value: A Guide for Senior Executives with No Finance Background

How many senior executives get to the top with little or no formal financial training? They may have been appointed to the executive board as a result of their expertise in marketing, HR, sales or IT, yet board members have a responsibility, individually and collectively, to make informed decisions on proposed actions - decisions which inevitably affect the value of their business.

Finance is a subject full of jargon and convention. This is confusing and off-putting to non-specialists - responses range from misunderstanding and frustration to downright fear. As a consequence, it is difficult or impossible for non-specialists to contribute fully to important debates on policy and the actions the business should take as a result.

The book's central objective is to equip senior executives who are not financial specialists to develop sound business proposals, or to cross-examine the proposals of others, confidently and competently. This will be achieved by:
· Relating financial outcome to other business disciplines, particularly strategy and marketing
· Helping define the boundary between what the non-specialist should know and where it is good practice to seek the advice of specialists; and
· Puncturing some myths about 'shareholder value .