Course: Strategic Investments, M&A, Portfolio Management and Investor Relations

Training Out line

Strategic Investments and Capital Allocation

• Strategic investment concepts and alignment with corporate strategy
• Value creation drivers and their impact on investment decisions
• Capital allocation principles and prioritization
• Investment governance:
  • Investment committees
  • Decision rights
  • Approval levels
• Investment thesis development:
  • Market analysis
  • Competitive positioning
  • Strategic fit
• Financial statements for investment decision-making
• Time value of money
• Estimating the weighted average cost of capital (WACC)
• Capital budgeting techniques:
  • Net Present Value (NPV)
  • Internal Rate of Return (IRR)
  • Payback period
  • Profitability Index
• Capital rationing and project prioritization
• Qualitative and quantitative investment risk analysis

Valuation Using Discounted Cash Flow (DCF)

• Enterprise value versus equity value
• Cash flow modelling:
  • Free Cash Flow to the Firm (FCFF)
  • Free Cash Flow to Equity (FCFE)
• Working capital management in valuation
• Terminal value estimation:
  • Perpetual growth model
  • Exit multiple approach
• Common valuation pitfalls
• Scenario analysis:
  • Base case
  • Downside case
  • Upside case
• Sensitivity analysis of key drivers:
  • Growth
  • Margins
  • Capital expenditure
  • Cost of capital
• Linking valuation outcomes to value creation levers
• Structure of an investment memorandum

Mergers and Acquisitions: Strategy, Valuation, and Deal Structuring

• Strategic rationale for mergers and acquisitions
• Build versus buy decisions
• Target identification and selection
• Due diligence scope:
  • Commercial
  • Financial
  • Operational
  • Legal
  • Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG)
• Synergy analysis:
  • Revenue synergies
  • Cost synergies
• Valuation approaches in M&A transactions
• Control premium and pricing logic
• Deal structuring options:
  • Cash transactions
  • Share-based transactions
  • Earn-outs
• Deal financing considerations
• Post-merger integration planning
• Key risks and common failure factors in M&A

Investment Portfolio Management and Performance Measurement

• Definition and types of investment portfolios
• Differences between investment portfolios and project portfolios
• Portfolio governance models and policies
• Risk limits and escalation authorities
• Portfolio performance indicators:
  • Value creation metrics
  • Risk metrics
  • Liquidity indicators
  • Capital allocation indicators
• Portfolio review cycles and decision-making processes
• Diversification principles and concentration risk
• Portfolio rebalancing
• Performance measurement and benchmarking
• Early warning indicators
• Executive reporting and dashboard design

Investor Relations and Executive Communication

• Role and objectives of investor relations
• Stakeholder identification and mapping
• Building the equity story:
  • Strategy
  • Competitive advantage
  • Value drivers
  • Key performance indicators
  • Capital allocation narrative
• Disclosure discipline and message consistency
• Preparing for investor questions
• Communicating mergers and acquisitions to the market
• Presenting risks and integration plans

The Scandinavian Academy for Training and Development adopts the latest scientific and professional methodologies in training and human resource development, aiming to enhance the efficiency of individuals and organizations. Training programs are delivered through a comprehensive approach that includes:

• Theoretical lectures supported by PowerPoint presentations and visual materials (videos and short films).
• Scientific evaluation of participants before and after the program to measure progress and knowledge acquisition.
• Brainstorming sessions and practical role-playing to simulate real-life scenarios.
• Case studies tailored to align with the training content and participants work nature.
• Assessment tests conducted at the end of the program to evaluate the achievement of training objectives.

Each participant receives the training material (both theoretical and practical) in printed form and saved on a CD or flash drive. Detailed reports, including attendance records, final results, and overall program evaluations, are also provided.

Training materials are prepared professionally by a team of experts and specialists in various fields. At the end of the program, participants are awarded a professional attendance certificate, signed and accredited by the Scandinavian Academy for Training and Development.

Program Timings:

• 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM in Arab cities.
• 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM in European and Asian cities.

The program includes:

• A daily buffet provided during the sessions to ensure participants comfort.

Course Introduction

This course provides an integrated and practical framework to support strategic investment decision-making at corporate and group levels. It connects corporate strategy, financial valuation, mergers and acquisitions, investment portfolio management, and professional investor communication.

The course focuses on applying internationally recognized corporate finance principles to improve capital allocation decisions, manage investment portfolios, and deliver clear, credible, and evidence-based communication to boards and investors.

Course Objectives

To enable you to evaluate and manage strategic investments effectively, enhance capital allocation decisions, oversee investment portfolios, and communicate professionally with investors in support of long-term value creation and financial sustainability.

Learning Objectives

By the end of the course, you will be able to:

• Translate strategic objectives into a clear investment thesis and measurable value drivers.
• Apply corporate finance techniques to support sound investment decisions.
• Analyze cash flows and build valuation models aligned with strategic priorities.
• Evaluate mergers and acquisitions from an integrated strategic and financial perspective.
• Manage investment portfolios using governance frameworks and performance indicators.
• Develop a coherent and credible equity story for investors and stakeholders.
• Communicate effectively with boards and investors using disciplined, data-driven messaging.

Target Audience

• Corporate strategy and strategic investment teams
• Corporate development and M&A professionals
• Investor relations and financial communications specialists
• Investment portfolio and project portfolio managers
• Finance managers, FP&A, and treasury professionals
• Senior financial analysts supporting investment decisions
• Executives and members of investment committees
• Managing expectations and financial guidance
• Board-level and investor-level presentation skills
• Integrating investment thesis, valuation, portfolio decisions, and investor messaging

The Scandinavian Academy for Training and Development is committed to hosting all training programs in dedicated and well-equipped hotel facilities specifically designed for conducting and delivering training sessions, unless explicitly stated otherwise on our website. Participants will be notified of the program venue within 7 to 21 days prior to the programs start date, based on the Academys assessment and the programs circumstances. The Scandinavian Academy for Training and Development emphasizes that it holds no responsibility for any force majeure events that may prevent the program from being held at the designated venue. Nevertheless, the Scandinavian Academy for Training and Development will make every effort to provide suitable alternatives and extend the necessary support to participants in the event of a venue change due to unforeseen circumstances.