How many senior executives get to the top with little or no formal financial training? They may have been appointed to the executive board as a result of their expertise in marketing, HR, sales or IT, yet board members have a responsibility, individually and collectively, to make informed decisions on proposed actions - decisions which inevitably affect the value of their business. Finance is a subject full of jargon and convention. This is confusing and off-putting to non-specialists - responses range from misunderstanding and frustration to downright fear. As a consequence, it is difficult or impossible for non-specialists to contribute fully to important debates on policy and the actions the business should take as a result. The book's central objective is to equip senior executives who are not financial specialists to develop sound business proposals, or to cross-examine the proposals of others, confidently and competently. This will be achieved by: * Relating financial outcome to other business disciplines, particularly strategy and marketing * Helping define the boundary between what the non-specialist should know and where it is good practice to seek the advice of specialists; and * Puncturing some myths about 'shareholder value'.