Aperio Associates’ professional workforce development program for commercial finance professionals offers a unique combination of practical instruction, designed to maximize the skill level of workshop participants, with coaching, designed to improve the ability of workshop participants to incorporate the content of the workshops into the policies and procedures of their organizations. Examples of recent workshops, described below, show how cutting edge content, combined with coaching, work in practice.
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Loan officers are the public face of a finance company. They are responsible for selling transactions to potential customers, and they act as the “eyes & ears” for the finance company. The program is designed to assist loan officers in improving their ability to explain and sell transactions, evaluate the credit of a potential customer, and help them spot potential problems with existing customers.
Covers the elements of lending and leasing risks and how to mitigate them. Includes in-depth instructions in financial statement analysis and interpretation as well as elements of portfolio risk and risk-sharing (especially important in transactions that must be compliant with Sharia Law). This is a critical subject in understanding and recognizing the many risks in commercial and Islamic lending and leasing.
The focus is on the use of present value and the use of financial calculators and specialty software programs to price commercial loan transactions in ways to maximize the lender's profit. Using "real-world" examples and problems, participants will develop skills to apply the borrower's credit information into pricing structures designed to maximize profits while mitigating credit risks. This class can include the application of lending mathematics to transactions that must be compliant with Sharia Law.
The focus of this program is how to use principles of accounting to manage the continuing activities of the company, including developing a complete chart of accounts that is used to prepare financial statements required by investors, lenders and regulators. In addition there is an extensive treatment of management accounting, which measures the on-going activities of the company on a real-time basis.
Loan documents cover all the elements of the transaction, and they protect both the lender and the borrower. The program helps financial institutions develop loan documents that reflect the loan products they offer, as well as cover critical subjects such as perfection of collateral, the use of guarantors, payment requirements and conditions of default, all of which must be explicitly included in the documents. The program can include both conventional transactions as well as documents designed to comply with Shariah Law.
How commercial finance companies obtain funding, and on what basis, is a major determinate of their success, as is the decision on how to fund individual transactions. The management of a company’s loan portfolio is a critical factor in whether or not a company is profitable, but is also a major factor in determining a company’s ability to expand its business. Use of Sukuk bonds, in the case of companies that must operate in compliance with Sharia Law, may also be included.
Specialty markets can include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Agriculture
- Micro-finance
- Industry-specific such as the Food & Beverage Industry
- Commercial real estate
- Project finance
This program offers an integrated overview of the financing of agriculture from the global, regional and local perspectives. Participants receive an understanding of the various issues involved with sub segments of agriculture production and products, processing, logistics, regulations and legislation as well as specialized training on loan risk mitigation including proper loan underwriting, risk acceptance criteria, lending policies and procedures, as well as insurance. Training can be customized to meet the needs of particular institutions and can also be offered on an executive level basis for senior management, credit committee members and boards of directors.
The program is designed to provide regulators and supervisors, whose responsibilities include overseeing the safety of commercial lending in their jurisdictions, the basics of commercial lending, including development and evaluation of lending products, prudent credit standards and knowledge of documentation. As with all other courses offered by Aperio, principles of commercial lending that are compliant with the 4 Schools of Thought under Sharia Law can form an integral part of this program.
Coaching sessions, either for individuals or groups, can include all the topics covered in our seminars and training sessions, and can be delivered either in person or on-line. If, for example, an individual or small group wants to improve their pricing skills, one of our experts can devise consultations tailored to their individual needs. Because Aperio's Principals have spent years working inside financial instututions we are also able to share our experiences through individual coaching sessions.