Course Details

This course is appropriate for a wide range of professionals but not limited to:

• Financial Controllers and Assistant Controllers
• Finance Managers and Directors
• Senior Accountants and Internal Auditors
• Treasury and Budgeting Managers
• CFOs seeking a refresher on compliance and control

• Expert-led sessions with dynamic visual aids
• Comprehensive course manual to support practical application and reinforcement
• Interactive discussions addressing participants’ real-world projects and challenges
• Insightful case studies and proven best practices to enhance learning

By the end of this course, participants should be able to:

• Design and manage an efficient and effective month-end/year-end closing process competently.
• Establish and monitor comprehensive internal control systems to ensure regulatory compliance reliably.
• Interpret and apply complex IFRS/GAAP standards to prepare accurate and compliant financial statements effectively.
• Lead the strategic planning, budgeting, and financial analysis functions within the organization successfully.
• Manage the corporate tax compliance function and minimize tax risks proactively.
• Act as a strategic business partner, using financial data to support operational decisions and drive profitability accurately.

DAY 1

The Strategic Role and Governance of the Controller

• Welcome and Introduction
• Pre-test
• Evolution of the Controller: from scorekeeper to strategic business partner
• Defining the optimal finance organizational structure and staffing needs
• Controller’s role in corporate governance, ethics, and fraud prevention
• Establishing effective financial policies and procedures (P&P)
• Managing banking relationships and optimizing treasury coordination

DAY 2

Financial Reporting and Accounting Standards Mastery

• Mastering the Financial Close Process: best practices and accelerators
• Understanding the impact of complex transactions on financial statements
• Deep dive into key IFRS/GAAP updates (e.g., revenue recognition, leasing standards)
• Consolidating financial statements for multi-entity or global organizations
• Effective communication of financial results to executive teams and the Board
• Managing fixed assets, depreciation, and intangible asset accounting

DAY 3

 Internal Controls and Regulatory Compliance

• Designing and implementing a robust internal control framework
• Controller’s responsibilities under SOX/internal controls over financial reporting (ICFR)
• Performing effective control self-assessment and compliance audits
• Best practices in managing Accounts Payable (AP) and Accounts Receivable (AR) processes
• Managing external audit relationships and implementing audit recommendations
• Data security, privacy (GDPR, CCPA), and the controller's role in IT governance

DAY 4

Budgeting, Planning, and Performance Analysis

• Leading the annual strategic planning and budgeting process effectively
• Advanced variance analysis and interpreting deviations from budget and forecast
• Cost accounting techniques: activity-based costing (ABC) and margin analysis
• Developing and implementing key performance indicators (KPIs) and dashboards
• Capital expenditure (CapEx) control, justification, and post-implementation review
• Introduction to business intelligence (BI) tools for enhanced financial reporting

DAY 5

Tax Management, Technology, and Action Plan

• Overview of corporate income tax compliance and quarterly provisions
• Identifying and mitigating key areas of tax risk (e.g., sales tax, property tax)
• Controller’s role in transfer pricing and international tax issues
• Evaluating and implementing new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and finance technology
• Group Review of best practices and implementation challenges
• Post-test
• Certificate ceremony