Course Specific FAQs

The Certificate in Strategic Business Acumen course is a four-day interactive masterclass designed for existing and future business leaders. It enhances strategic planning, leadership skills, and commercial focus through seminars, workshops, case studies, and role play. The course aims to develop business intelligence and organisational capabilities for high performance leadership. Download the course brochure to learn more.

You will learn to play an extended strategic role by enhancing your business intelligence, leadership, and decision-making skills. The course covers finance, marketing, emotional intelligence, and problem-solving to drive organisational effectiveness. It also improves your ability to innovate, manage change, and develop both yourself and your teams for success. Download the course brochure to learn more.

The course methodology combines seminar modules, focused workshops, comparative case studies, video interviews, and role play. It balances personal skills, leadership, and business planning with organisational success. Participants engage in interactive exercises that apply frameworks like the Balanced Scorecard and strategic activity trees.

This business acumen training for leaders is ideal for directors, managers with high potential, fast-tracked leaders, and new managers preparing for senior roles. It suits those seeking to strengthen their strategic thinking, commercial acumen, and leadership business acumen within their organisations.

Upon satisfying attendance requirements and successful course assessment, participants receive the Informa Connect Academy Certificate of Completion. This CPD-accredited certification recognises your strategic insight training and enhanced leadership capabilities. A soft copy is provided online, and a hard copy for in-person attendees.

The course does not specify formal prerequisites but is designed for professionals who already hold leadership roles or are preparing for advancement. Participants should have a commitment to personal development and a desire to deepen their commercial strategy training and strategic business acumen.

The course is delivered over four consecutive days in a highly interactive format featuring seminars, workshops, and case studies. It is available in-person with included materials and refreshments, and also offers an engaging virtual option with access to a comprehensive workbook and assessments.

Each participant receives a detailed workbook containing notes, case studies, recommended reading lists, and reference materials. These resources support ongoing learning during and after the course, helping to embed the commercial acumen programme principles effectively.

The course develops your ability to analyse business behaviour, apply strategic thinking, and use financial and market insights effectively. Through practical workshops and case studies, you enhance your decision-making skills to face complex business challenges and lead innovative change confidently. Download the course brochure to learn more.

The course emphasises leadership business acumen by teaching motivation, team development, and coaching techniques to improve organisational success. It covers strategic planning, business process improvements, and culture change management, enabling participants to lead high performance, commercially focused teams.

Informa Connect Academy is a global provider of certified professional training, offering expert-led courses in leadership, finance, HR, strategy, and more. As part of the FTSE 100-listed Informa Group, we deliver 1,000+ courses annually across in-person, live online, and digital formats, helping professionals and organisations upskill with confidence.

Informa Connect Academy delivers training across 15+ key sectors, including:

• Finance & Risk

• Human Resources

• Project Management

• Energy & Sustainability

• Maritime & Transport

• Technology & Innovation

• Leadership & Strategy

• Law, Procurement & Supply Chain

Each course is industry-relevant and globally certified, helping professionals upskill with practical tools for career growth.

Explore programmes by sector in our course catalogue or calendar.

Informa Connect Academy offers 1,000+ certified training programmes across in-person, live online, and on-demand formats. Courses cover leadership, finance, HR, strategy, operations, and more with CPD-accredited and university-backed options. Whether you're seeking flexible online learning or immersive classroom sessions in cities like Dubai, London, or Singapore, there’s a format to suit every schedule and career stage.

Our courses are led by senior certified trainers and former C-suite leaders with 15–30+ years of real-world experience. Faculty members are experts in their field, often working across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia. You’ll find bios and credentials for each trainer on the brochure, so you know exactly who’s leading your session before enrolling.

Most Informa Connect Academy courses are CPD-accredited or delivered in partnership with globally recognised organisations, including CIPD, PMI, NASBA, EFQM, WorldatWork and DMI. These accreditations ensure that our programmes meet international training standards and support your professional development goals. You can view the full list of accreditation and academic partners here.

Strategic business acumen is the ability to understand how a business operates, make informed decisions, and translate strategy into measurable results. Leaders with strong business acumen can drive performance, align teams with organisational goals, and respond effectively to market challenges.

Learn practical frameworks to strengthen your strategic business thinking in this programme.

Strategic thinking allows leaders to anticipate challenges, identify opportunities, and develop actionable plans that improve efficiency, innovation, and long-term success. Applying analytical and creative thinking ensures that business decisions are informed, sustainable, and aligned with organisational priorities.

Explore real-world case studies and workshops that enhance strategic decision-making skills.

Developing commercial awareness involves understanding financial statements, key ratios, customer value, and business metrics. This knowledge helps leaders make smarter decisions, prioritise resources, and ensure profitability while balancing organisational and team objectives.

Gain hands-on experience with financial analysis and business planning during this course.

Strategic thinking involves anticipating challenges, identifying opportunities, and making decisions that align with long-term organisational goals. Developing this skill helps leaders respond effectively to market changes, prioritise resources, and drive sustainable success.

Learn practical techniques to enhance your strategic thinking and decision-making capabilities.

Strong business acumen combines financial literacy, commercial awareness, analytical thinking, and leadership insight. It enables professionals to understand business operations, make informed decisions, influence teams, and create measurable results across organisations.

Discover actionable strategies to strengthen your business acumen and drive organisational performance.