MasterClass | Finance for Non-Finance Directors

British Chamber of Commerce Shanghai cordially invited you to attend the three-day ‘Finance for Non-Finance Directors’ course, delivered by the Institute of Directors (IoD) on 18-20 November in the office of BritCham Shanghai.

The Institute of Directors (IoD) was founded in 1903 in London and within three years we were awarded a Royal Charter to support, represent, and set standards for business leaders nationwide. We are the oldest business membership organisation in the world, and we have about 20,000 members, including over 3,000 international members. We are also the only organisation that awards ‘Chartered Directors’ across the world.

This course has been designed to demystify the world of finance for non-finance directors and senior managers. It will give you an understanding of key financial concepts and terminology. You will leave with the skills and knowledge needed to evaluate business plans, question financial information, and contribute more effectively to boardroom decision-making.

The course will give you knowledge and skills to:

1. Evaluate your role and responsibilities in relation to finance
2. Understand the relationship between financial and corporate strategies
3. Use financial ratios, and analyse and interpret accounts in order to assess the financial health of an organisation
4. Outline ways of ensuring that management reporting is effective in enabling the organisation’s strategy to be achieved
5. Understand the key factors around funding requirements and funding options

The IoD Award in Finance for Non-Finance Directors (FFD), is a module of the Certification in Company Direction Qualification provided by the Institute of Directors.

For attendees who want to join the course, please register your interest with BritCham Shanghai by clicking  ‘Register your interest’ buttons on the top and bottom of the webpage.

The Chamber staff will check your details and connect you with a dedicated IoD staff, who will then guide you through the enrollment and complete your payment.

The standard tuition fee for course training is GBP 3,195 for IoD members, and GBP 3,845 for Non IoD members.

For BritCham Shanghai Members, upon successful sign-up, you can enjoy 2 years of IoD international membership for FREE

For non-members, upon successful sign-up, you can enjoy 1 year of IoD international membership for FREE

After 20 years of practical experience working for and serving on several boards, it was great to finally sit through a formal course that explained the theory, common practices, as well as regulatory and legal context of how directors and their boards should operate.

I can wholeheartedly recommend the programme for both aspiring and veteran board members.

Adam Dunnett

Secretary General, European Union Chamber and Commerce in China

The course materials were comprehensive and designed to reflect real-world scenarios. This enhanced my understanding of the concepts and how they are applied in practice. Paul Munden’s expertise as a commercial law barrister and his experience in chairing and working with boards of different types of organisation also brought an invaluable dimension to the course. His ability to blend strong technical knowledge with experience of the practical application of the concepts made the learning experience both engaging and highly relevant.

The course is a must-attend for anyone aspiring to or currently serving on a board, seeking to deepen their understanding and enhance their effectiveness.

Vaughn Barber

Chair, China-Australian Chamber of Commerce

While I have been a member of and supported a number of boards in my career, I have never done this from the position of legal knowledge or best practice. Good and effective governance is so fundamental for organizational success as well as for regulatory compliance. The course was a great opportunity to strengthen my knowledge, spend some time with others from different industries and reflect on operating within the context of China.

The IoD International Role of Director course is a great stepping stone component into the other three courses to become a Chartered Director which I now aim to pursue too.

James Birkett

Registrar, University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC)

As a director focused on governance, this IoD program proved very valuable.

Discussing challenges frankly with fellow board members from diverse industries sharpened my skills. Key learnings centred on risk oversight, compliance practices, and ensuring transparency and accountability as regulations rapidly change. Modules reinforced governance fundamentals that protect shareholders regardless of scale. The international with China-specific insights allowed me to continually strengthen governance knowledge benefiting my companies.

Mirko Turrina

GM, Goglio (Tianjin) Packaging Co. Ltd

Being a strong believer in lifelong learning, I embraced the opportunity to join IoD’s International Role of the Director course in Beijing. Having worked with boards and currently sitting on two boards in China, I wanted to enhance my knowledge of best practices of the board’s role in corporate governance and risk management. The course struck the right balance between a board member’s duties and legal responsibilities and the practical day-to-day application in China. The course’s open and hands-on exchange with other international and Chinese directors and senior executives made the experience highly valuable and worthwhile to me. I wish the new China Chapter of the IoD all the best and look forward to joining future courses.

Dr. Mike Hofmann

Managing Director, Melchers China Beijing, Chairman of the Board, Koehler Pharmaceuticals Beijing

I achieved the two objectives I set out in taking the IoD’s International Role of the Director course in Beijing, which:

• As a senior communications consultant, the IoD’s courses have given me crucial understanding of company decision-making, helping me to tailor advice directly to boards’ needs. This gives me a ‘step up’ over others.
• Enabled me to ‘speak the language’ of the board. As a senior public affairs consultant, much of my work relates to corporate reputation and risk, largely board responsibilities. Understanding the process of how boards direct this and related issues helps me to tie my work to that of company boards, making me a better professional.

Mark Pinner

Head of Communications, BE Education

‘I have not found any similar program as this one in China yet… It was a rather inspiring two-day’s studying enviornment which I have not been experienced since long time ago. I would like to highly recommend this course to my colleagues and friends’.

River Xi

Business Management Officer, CFO Office, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)