In an increasingly complex and rapidly changing environment, the role of the CFO is evolving: it’s no longer just about control, but about strategic leadership. The challenge is not only to manage numbers, but to integrate finance, sustainability, technology, and teams—pushing beyond the traditional boundaries of the role.
The ability to act with awareness, vision, and collaborative skills is now the key to building resilient, innovative, and sustainable organizations. This program stems from the understanding that the CFO of tomorrow is a leader who combines technical and human skills, with the intention of making a meaningful impact.
The course is aimed at Chief Financial Officers, Executive Finance Managers, and Finance professionals who want to acquire advanced skills in value creation processes within the Private Equity context, with a particular focus on strategic planning, capital optimization, and exit preparation.
Partners: Di Luccia & Partners Executive Search
ACCREDITATIONS AND RANKINGS
Bologna Business School is EQUIS – EFMD Quality Improvement System accredited, one of the most important international quality assessment and continuous improvement systems for Schools of Management and Business Administration.
Bologna Business School’s Open Programs are included in the Financial Times Ranking in the Executive Education 2025 category.
Structure
COURSES
- Evolution of the CFO: from accountant to strategic business partner
- Working with the CEO, Board of Directors, and stakeholders
- Financial leadership and organizational transformation
- Understanding the balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow statement
- Profitability, liquidity, and solvency ratios
- Financial KPIs and business diagnostics
- Workshop on real company financials
- Budgeting processes, forecasting techniques
- Cost centers, performance KPIs, variance analysis
- Management dashboards and performance reporting
- CAPM
- Key principles: NPV, IRR, payback
- Valuation methods: DCF, multiples, EVA
- Strategic investment decisions and capital allocation
- Case study: valuing a real-world company
- Optimal debt-on-equity capital structure: equity vs debt
- IPOs, M&A, LBOs and corporate restructuring
- Engaging with investors, banks, and rating agencies
- Simulation: executing a strategic financial transaction
- Short-term financial planning and liquidity forecasting
- Cash pooling, working capital optimization
- Currency and interest rate risk management
- Internal control systems and enterprise risk management (ERM)
- Legislative compliance: Model 231, SOX, audit processes
- Anti-corruption, whistleblowing, legal risk
- ERP systems, automation, and data-driven finance
- Artificial Intelligence, RPA, Fintech and Blockchain
- Leveraging digital tools for decision-making
- ESG frameworks: GRI, SASB, CSRD
- Non-financial reporting and integrated reporting
- Green bonds, sustainable finance, and stakeholder impact
- CFO’s contribution to long-term ESG strategy
- Corporate tax strategy and optimization
- Transfer pricing and intercompany transactions
- Tax risk in multinational groups
- Practical cases in cross-border tax planning
- CFO as a team leader and organizational influencer
- Soft skills: communication, delegation, conflict resolution
- Talent development in finance teams
- Real-time CFO simulation in a competitive business scenario
- Data analysis, board presentation, risk-based decisions
- Executive team presentation and peer evaluation
Learning approach
The teaching approach is strongly practice-oriented and integrates contributions from faculty members coming from academia, industry, and consulting. The program combines lectures, analysis of real business cases, and direct testimonials from managers, fostering learning that can be immediately applied in the workplace. Teaching activities are supported by an e-learning platform featuring materials and exercises to facilitate study and further exploration between sessions.
Faculty
Faculty members at Bologna Business School work together offering outstanding teaching standards. An international and interdisciplinary approach is guaranteed by a joint team of distinguished national core professors, adjunct, visiting professors, guest speakers and top managers.
-
Roberto Travaglino
Senior Partner e Direttore Commerciale, Investor Relations & ESG di Fondo Italiano da settembre 2022, e membro del Comitato ESG
Fondo Italiano
-
Fabrizio Baroni
Founder - Managing Partner presso B4 Investimenti SGR S.p.A.
B4 Investimenti SGR S.p.A.
-
Yann Chareton
Partner, Perwyn Italia
Perwyn Italia
-
Gianluigi Serafini
-
Stefano Migliorini
Partner e membro del comitato investimenti di NUO Capital
NUO Capital
-
Emanuele Bajo
Full Professor of Corporate Finance
University of Bologna
-
Marco Bigelli
Corporate Finance Professor at the University of Bologna
University of Bologna
-
Antonio Glorioso
Fondatore e Amministratore Delegato di Consilium SGR
Consilium SGR
-
Dario Cenci
Private Equity Investor
Armònia SGR
Networking
The open program is an experience built around people and relationships, fostering valuable connections through continuous interaction among participants, faculty members, and managers. During the classroom sessions, a dynamic network develops, enriched by the diversity of experiences, roles, and industries. A vibrant ecosystem that enhances learning and continues to generate value over time.
COMPANIES
Companies within the Bologna Business School network actively contribute to the development of the Open Programs by helping shape the content and bringing real-world experience into the classroom. Managers and professionals take part through testimonials, real business cases, and direct contributions, enriching the learning journey with a practical perspective. Interaction with companies from different industries encourages a continuous exchange of experiences and best practices. This ongoing dialogue between the classroom and the business world creates a dynamic ecosystem where skills, perspectives, and approaches come together, generating value for all participants.
FEES
The enrollment fee for the program is:
- €4,000 (+ VAT) for registrations from companies and institutions
- €3,280 (+ VAT) for individual registrations
The fee includes attendance of the program, all study materials available through the online platform, and access to Bologna Business School services, including: personal Wi-Fi account and use of the study areas.
Discounts are available for:
- early registrations;
- companies belonging to the Business Network;
- Alma/BBS and Profingest Alumni;
- groups of at least 3 people.
INTERPROFESSIONAL FUNDS
Alumni and Companies can check the availability of vouchers at the Interprofessional Fund reference:
Fondimpresa – for middle management
Fondo Dirigenti PMI – for managers of industrial SMEs
Fonditalia
Fondirigenti – for managers
Fon.Coop – for Cooperatives
REQUIREMENTS
The program is limited to a maximum of 30 participants in order to ensure an effective and interactive learning experience, and is open to professionals with diverse backgrounds and levels of experience.
APPLICATION PROCESS
To participate, it is necessary to request the application form by emailing openprograms@bbs.unibo.it. The team is available to provide all relevant information and support candidates throughout the process.
FAQs
Yes, there is a certificate upon successful completion of all courses, the final examination and 70% attendance. The certificate will attest to successful completion of the courses and will award 60 university credits (CFU).
The documents used in the classroom and any further reading or exercises will be uploaded to our platform, whose credentials will be delivered in the classroom.
Should a group of colleagues wish to participate in the program, it is possible to contact the Program Manager to evaluate an ad hoc participation price.
Our short courses do not require a specific course of study. It is important to have a few years of work experience behind you that can help you, inside the classroom, by bringing real cases dealt with and solutions adopted during your work.
