In today's data-driven business environment, financial understanding is no longer optional—it's a career essential. Professionals across all departments are increasingly expected to make decisions with clear financial implications, contribute meaningfully to budgeting processes, evaluate projects through a financial lens, speak the language of finance with confidence, and identify opportunities for cost optimization and value creation.

This comprehensive online program demystifies finance for professionals without a thorough financial background. Through practical, jargon-free instruction delivered across six 3-hour sessions, participants will gain essential financial knowledge and skills needed to make informed business decisions, communicate effectively with finance teams, and contribute more strategically to their organization's success.

After completing this course, participants will be able to:

• Read and interpret the three major financial statements with confidence.
• Understand the critical differences between profit and cash flow.
• Apply key financial ratios to assess business performance.
• Make better-informed business decisions using financial data.
• Create and manage departmental budgets effectively.
• Evaluate the financial viability of projects and initiatives.
• Communicate more effectively with finance teams and executives.
• Understand cost structures and their impact on profitability.
• Apply business financial concepts to personal financial decisions.

This course is ideal for:

• Managers and team leaders from non-finance departments
• Project managers needing stronger financial acumen
• Technical professionals moving into management roles
• Entrepreneurs and small business owners
• Department heads responsible for budget management
• Individual contributors seeking career advancement
• Anyone who wants to understand the “language of business”

No prior finance or accounting knowledge is required.

This comprehensive financial acumen certificate fosters progressive development of essential financial literacy, analytical capabilities, strategic thinking, and professional effectiveness—equipping participants with both technical knowledge and practical application skills to enhance their business contributions.

Financial Literacy Development

• Financial Terminology Proficiency: Building vocabulary and understanding of essential financial terms, acronyms, and concepts (ROI, EBITDA, P&L).
• Financial Statement Comprehension: Developing ability to read, interpret, and extract insights from balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow statements.
• Accounting Fundamentals Understanding: Establishing knowledge of double-entry bookkeeping, chart of accounts, and transaction flows.
• Ratio Analysis Capability: Advancing skills in calculating and interpreting key financial ratios to assess business performance.
• Business Structure Knowledge: Enhancing understanding of organizational structures and stakeholder relationships.

Analytical Competencies

• Numerical Reasoning Advancement: Developing ability to analyse financial data, identify patterns, and draw conclusions.
• Cost Analysis Aptitude: Building skills in classifying costs, conducting break-even analysis, and contribution margin calculations.
• Budget Development Foundation: Establishing competency in creating, implementing, and monitoring budgets.
• Financial Forecasting Skills: Cultivating ability to project financial outcomes using various forecasting techniques.
• Investment Assessment Capabilities: Developing proficiency in evaluating investment opportunities using time value of money concepts and capital budgeting techniques.

Strategic Financial Thinking

• Business Decision-Making Foundation: Building capacity to use financial information to inform business decisions.
• Strategic Planning Awareness: Developing understanding of how financial planning supports organizational strategy.
• Cost Management Orientation: Establishing ability to identify cost reduction opportunities and optimize resource allocation.
• Capital Allocation Understanding: Cultivating knowledge of how to prioritize investments and allocate limited capital resources.
• Financial Risk Assessment Skills: Advancing ability to identify and evaluate financial risks in business operations.

Professional Effectiveness

• Financial Communication Skills: Developing ability to discuss financial concepts clearly with finance and non-finance colleagues.
• Cross-functional Collaboration Aptitude: Building capacity to work effectively with finance departments and understand their requirements.
• Critical Thinking Enhancement: Establishing habit of questioning assumptions and evaluating financial information objectively.
• Problem-Solving Orientation: Advancing ability to address financial challenges using structured analytical approaches.
• Attention to Detail: Cultivating precision in financial calculations and analysis.

This course will be delivered primarily in English language with Arabic support provided whenever needed to ensure optimal comprehension of key financial concepts and principles.

Mastering Financial Acumen | For Non-Finance Professionals
100% Online  |  18 Hours  |  $500  |  English

This certificate total duration is 18 hours. It is delivered online over 6 sessions of 3 hours each, scheduled twice weekly. The structured progression allows participants to build their financial knowledge incrementally while providing sufficient time between sessions to apply concepts in their professional environments.

Participants will receive a Certificate of Completion upon successfully passing the online examination, validating their newly acquired financial competencies and their readiness to apply these skills in professional settings.

Zakhia Zaarour

Zakhia Zaarour is a distinguished finance professional with over 24 years of diverse experience across multinational corporations including Oracle, Microsoft, Nokia, and HMD Global. Zakhia brings exceptional depth to financial education through his practical expertise in business controlling, P&L management, credit risk frameworks, financial analysis, and strategic financial planning.

Throughout his career, Zakhia has led transformative financial initiatives, including establishing global credit risk frameworks, implementing financial forecasting models, and optimizing cash flow management systems that delivered measurable business results. His experience spans multiple industries and regions, giving him a unique global perspective on financial practices.

Zakhia holds a BA in Economics, an MBA and passed the 2 levels of Chartered Financial Analyst Program (CFA).