Successful completion of the course enables the participant to:

1. Understand the basic objectives, the critical role and the strategic importance of finance in business;
2.  Acquire and develop the skills and competencies required of a finance professional and   become a proactive and productive member of the management team;
3. Understand the different capital structure framework models used to assess risk and return in capital allocation and in corporate diversification and risk management, and how these affect the value of the firm;
4. Learn and apply the best practices/approaches used by finance practitioners in valuing firms, raising funds, assessing and mitigating financial risks, and dealing with financial distress;
5. Understand the behavior of financial markets from the global and domestic fronts and the factors that affect them; and
6. Establish a steady stream of networking and business opportunities provided by the high- profile facilitators and class members.

The program, which employs lectures, interactive discussions, case studies and practical exercises, covers the following areas:

I.   INTRODUCTORY MODULE: THE BASICS
A.  Objectives, role and importance of finance
B.  Financial statement analysis
C.  Financial planning 
D.  Mathematics of finance and investment
E.  Working capital management    
F.   Capital budgeting

II.  INTERMEDIATE MODULE: FINANCIAL MARKETS AND CORPORATE FINANCE
A.  Investment portfolio creation    
B.  Capital structure, financial leverage and cost of capital
C.  Dividend policies and practices
D.  Debt and equity securities
E.  Equity securities analysis
F.   Stock market operation

III. ADVANCED MODULE: SPECIAL TOPICS
A.  Company valuation: principles, methods, applications
B.  Investment banking
C.  Mergers and acquisitions
D.  Project finance
E.  Corporate financial risk management
F.   Financial restructuring and bankruptcy
G.  Business forum
H.  Integrating project

PROGRAM DIRECTOR

Mr. Larry S. Esguerra IV is Director for Credit Programs at the Ateneo-BAP Institute of Banking, Program Director for Finance and Accounting at the Ateneo Center for Continuing Education and a Professor of Finance at the Ateneo Graduate School of Business. He is also the Chief Financial Officer of a multinational construction and engineering firm and a diversified group of companies.

Mr. Esguerra has spent the greater part of his professional career in the financial services industry in the United States. Prior to his return to the Philippines, he was President and Chief Executive Officer of Golden Bay Federal Credit Union, a California-based, federally chartered credit union servicing the financial needs of military personnel and federal employees of the United States government. He also served as Vice President and Controller of Franklin Bank in Menlo Park, California; Associate Director of Capital Strategies Limited, a Hong Kong-based investment banking firm; and Resident Auditor of Citibank, N.A. in the Philippines.

Mr. Esguerra holds a Bachelors degree in accounting from the University of the Philippines and a Masters's degree in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix. He is a Certified Public Accountant.

RESOURCE PERSONS

Mr. Gavin Lee is facilitator at the Ateneo Graduate School of Business-Center for Continuing Education. He is also an Assistant Professor at the Cesar E.A. Virata School of Business (VSB) (formerly College of Business Administration) at the University of the Philippines – Diliman where he teaches Accounting and Finance. He has conducted numerous seminars and trainings for various institutions, including the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE), Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA), Institute of Internal Auditors – Philippines (IIA-P), and the Ateneo Center for Continuing Education (CCE).

Aside from his involvement with educational activities, Gavin is an Adviser at Unicapital Securities, Inc. for Equity Research. He is also a Director at Dearest1, an online jewelry company that focuses on custom-made wedding rings and engagement rings, and an Adviser for TripZeeker2, an online bazaar of travel experiences, activities, and tours that connects travelers with multiple tour operators across the globe.

Mr. Lee holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Accountancy and a Master of Science degree in Finance from the VSB at the University of the Philippines – Diliman. 
He also holds the following professional certifications: Certified Public Accountant (CPA) – Philippines, Certified Internal Auditor (CIA ®), and Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA ®).

Atty. Mark S. Gorriceta is the Managing Partner, Head of the Corporate Group and Head of the Technology Media and Telecommunications Group of Gorriceta Africa Cauton & Saavedra. With over 18 years in private practice, he has developed an extensive expertise in complex corporate transactions, commercial contracts and regulatory matters in a range of areas that impact businesses – whether for start-ups or for Top 1000 companies in the Philippines. He is a leading lawyer in the Philippines in the fields of Capital Markets, Mergers & Acquisitions and Securities Law. He is also considered the foremost Tech lawyer in the Philippines. With pioneering expertise on the law on digital assets, fintech, blockchain, virtual currencies, e-commerce, data privacy, and artificial intelligence, he is legal counsel to the biggest and most impactful technology and online companies in the Philippines.

A multi-awarded legal practitioner, Atty. Gorriceta has been recognized as one of the Philippines' Top 100 Lawyers for 2020 and 2021 by the Asia Business Law Journal and also awarded as the Philippines' Dealmaker of the Year for 2021 by Asian Legal Business. Under his aggressive leadership, he has steered his Firm to be a Top Tier Firm in the Philippines and become the undisputed leader in the field of Technology Media and Telecommunications Law, having won the award for three consecutive years  (2019, 2020 and 2021) for both Asian Legal Business and Asia Business Law Journal's Philippine Law Awards. 

A member of the Philippine Bar, he graduated law with honors and holds a Bachelor of Arts - Political Science degree from the Ateneo de Manila University. He completed certificate courses in Finance at the Asian Institute of Management. He completed certificate courses in Corporate Finance at Harvard University.  He also completed several Masterclasses on Blockchain, Distributed Ledger & Smart Contracts in Singapore and Hong Kong. 

Ms. Noemi T. Villanueva is the First Vice President and Head of Corporate Finance Team 2 of BDO Capital & Investment Corporation (“BDO Capita;”) where she leads a team in originating and executing capital market deals.  She was formerly Head of Client Advisory of BDO Capital. She concurrently serves as Treasurer of Armstrong Securities, Inc. Prior to her assignment in BDO Capital, Ms. Villanueva was connected with PCI Capital Corporation for more than 20 years where she was involved in corporate finance, account management, and accounting and administration. Ms. Villanueva holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the Ateneo Graduate School of Business and a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from the University of Santo Tomas.  She is a Certified Public Accountant.

Mr. Abener M. Balatbat held the position of First Vice President under the Corporate Banking Group of Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation. As a Relationship Manager for several years, he managed accounts ranging from conglomerates and commercial accounts to medium and small enterprises. The big-ticket accounts he handled include the Ayala Group, PLDT Group, Lopez Group, and Metrobank Group. He also functioned as Head of Ortigas Lending Center in RCBC’s Small and Medium Enterprise Division.

He is seasoned in the various aspects of account management from new client acquisition, loan structuring, and relationship deepening to remedial management. He has acquired a good understanding of companies involved in various industries, such as manufacturing, retailing, lending, logistics, real estate, and power generation. 

He is adept in account handling as a result of conducting due diligence, performing financial analysis, and applying risk management in effectively overseeing the quality, profitability, and growth of his loan portfolio.  He is highly experienced in arranging credit facilities from packaging revolving credit lines and term loans to structuring loan syndications and project finance.

He completed, among others, the Leadership Development Program course by John Clements Consultant, Inc. being offered to RCBC’s senior officers.

Prior to his employment with RCBC, he had the opportunity of working in several other major banks, namely, the Philippine National Bank, Union Bank, China Banking Corporation, and the Saudi British Bank (HSBC, Riyadh).

Mr. Balatbat graduated from the University of the Philippines (Diliman) with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics. He finished his MBA from the Ateneo de Manila University.  He is a candidate for a Doctorate of Business Administration course from De La Salle University.