Budget Presentations That Actually Get Approved
Most finance professionals struggle with one thing: turning solid numbers into compelling stories that boards understand. Our program fixes that gap through practical training built around real scenarios you'll face in Australian businesses.
Discuss Your Training Needs
Questions People Ask Before Starting
We've organized these around where you are in your decision-making process. Skip to whatever's relevant right now.
Before You Commit
How long does it take? Eight months of evening sessions starting September 2025. Will this work for someone who's already busy? We designed it around people with full-time roles. Can I get manager approval? Most participants get employer sponsorship because the skills apply immediately to their current work.
During The Program
What if I miss a session? All workshops are recorded and you get access to materials for twelve months. Is there homework? Yes, but it's applying concepts to your actual work projects. How much preparation is needed? Around three hours weekly between sessions, though this varies depending on your current experience level.
After Completion
Will this help me get promoted? We can't promise promotions, but past participants report having more confidence in senior meetings. Do I get ongoing support? You'll join our alumni network where people share presentation decks and feedback. What about refresher training? Alumni get discounted access to our quarterly workshops on emerging trends.
Who Runs These Sessions
Our facilitators have spent years presenting budgets to skeptical executives and boards. They know what works because they've made all the mistakes already so you don't have to.
Ridley Thornwick
Presentation Strategy
Spent twelve years as CFO at mid-sized manufacturing firms across NSW. Now teaches the storytelling techniques that got his toughest budgets approved during the 2023 downturn.
Saskia Evermore
Visual Communication
Former financial analyst who retrained in design thinking. Focuses on turning dense spreadsheets into clear visuals that board members actually understand without oversimplifying the data.
Casimir Wendell
Stakeholder Engagement
Works with finance teams at ASX-listed companies. Specializes in preparing presenters for the difficult questions that come up when budgets face scrutiny from multiple departments.
What's Happening In Budget Communication Right Now
The way executives expect to receive financial information shifted dramatically in 2024 and continues changing in 2025.
Why Are Traditional Budget Presentations Failing?
Board members are making faster decisions with less time for deep analysis. A survey from early 2025 showed that 68% of Australian executives spend under ten minutes reviewing budget proposals before meetings. This means your presentation needs to communicate key points immediately, not bury them in appendices. The shift happened gradually but became obvious during 2024 when remote board meetings became standard.
What's Replacing The Old Approach?
Story-driven data presentations that lead with impact rather than methodology. Instead of walking through every calculation, successful presenters now frame budgets around business outcomes first. This doesn't mean dumbing down the numbers. It means restructuring how you present them so decision-makers grasp implications before getting into details. The technical depth is still there but positioned as supporting evidence rather than the main narrative.
Where Is This Heading In The Next Year?
Expect more emphasis on scenario planning and risk visualization. Boards want to see multiple budget outcomes based on different business conditions. The finance professionals who advance will be those who can present complex scenarios without overwhelming their audience. Interactive presentations are also becoming more common, where executives can explore different assumptions during the meeting itself. Our autumn 2025 intake will focus heavily on these emerging presentation formats.
How Does This Affect Day-To-Day Finance Work?
Finance teams are spending more time on communication strategy and less on just building models. The calculation work hasn't disappeared but it's become table stakes. What differentiates high-performing finance professionals now is their ability to translate analysis into actionable recommendations that non-finance executives actually understand and support. This shift means traditional finance training needs updating to include presentation and storytelling skills.