Most failed partnerships and investor relationships don't collapse because the opportunity was bad — they collapse because nobody applied real due diligence before signing on. This training course, run by the Arab British Fellowship Training Academy, is built around exactly that gap: it gives managers a structured, evidence-based way to evaluate potential investors and partners before committing to a relationship.

As companies deal with more complex technology structures, competitive pressure, and strategic decisions, the bar for appraising a new relationship has risen sharply. The course applies due-diligence tools across market analysis, financial management, risk, and strategic planning, helping participants judge whether a prospective partner truly fits their organisation's goals — and how to structure the relationship so it works long after the deal is signed.

Who Should Attend?

• Corporate finance officers and strategic planners.
• Investment analysts, internal auditors, and management accountants.
• Operations and supply chain managers.
• Mergers and acquisitions specialists, and organisational development specialists.

By the End of This Course, You Will Be Able To

• Recognise what new investors and partners look for, and assess their track record and likely trajectory.
• Choose, engage with, and negotiate agreements with new investors and partners.
• Anticipate integration challenges and evaluate the strategic impact of new relationships.
• Build collaborative business cases and enforce agreements through appropriate legal and contractual clauses.
• Spot the common errors organisations make when reviewing a collaboration or partnership business case.

Module 1: Evaluating the Market Opportunity

• Sourcing data and building business intelligence for market evaluation.
• Analytical tools and techniques for assessing market attractiveness.
• Judging your own performance and growth potential within a given market sector.

Module 2: Reading the Financial Story Behind a Partner

• Interpreting the profit and loss statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement.
• Evaluating financial structure, gearing, and overall robustness.
• How shifting global business dynamics change what "sound" finances look like.

Module 3: Risk, Governance, and Strategic Fit

• Identifying and analysing the types of risk a prospective partner carries.
• Quantitative and qualitative risk-analysis tools, and the emerging concept of "risk engineering".
• International corporate governance standards, and how strategic planning frameworks reveal long-term fit.

Module 4: Applying Due Diligence to Deal-Making

• Why due diligence carries extra weight in mergers, acquisitions, and major business decisions.
• Due diligence's role in business planning and long-term strategy.
• Balancing short-term pressures with long-term programmes when structuring a new relationship.