What’s it all about?

This hands-on program is designed to provide participants with an understanding of the strategic and tactical decision-making processes facing senior bank executives in the banking industry. In this highly competitive market the future of an institution depends on managers who can knowledgeably evaluate information and make informed decisions in accordance with their organizations strategic objectives. This requires a sound, cross-functional understanding of the institution’s business. A goal of this program is to stimulate participants to look beyond their own specialized areas to what is best for the institution and, as such, it is an essential component of true enterprise risk management. Participants work in teams of 3-4 to manage their assigned bank online competing with the other bank teams in a constantly changing economic environment. The performance is reflected in the share price that in turn is dependent on profitability, volatility, rating, soundness of financials and dividends. After each quarter all decisions are analyzed and alternative strategies explored.

By the end of the program all bank teams have to present their performance to their virtual supervisory board. They will have to explain the strategy pursued and will have to elaborate on their successes and failures encountered during the course.

The demand level will be adjusted to the existing knowledge and the learning curve by adding further steering tools like Interest Rate Swaps, Securitization and Investment Banking. Thus it can be designed for groups with advanced financial understanding as well as non-bankers likewise. In order to immediately transfer acquired knowledge to real life banking we also cover current issues like Basle III with its expected changes, Client segmentation, Client Wallet Sizing, competitors watch and strategies of leading players in the market.

Decisions that have to be taken in every quarter refer to:

• Strategic Planning
• Liquidity Management
• Asset and Liability Management
• Interest Rate Management
• Credit Portfolio Management
• Income and Cost Control
• Solvency Management

For most participants it is a once in their life chance to run a bank and to build an all-embracing understanding for management decisions with all conflicting interests of stakeholders. Without this experience we tend to judge the world from our individual perspective which might be a misjudgement compared to a more objective consideration.

As a banker, you generally rely on historical (financial) data and your subjective opinion on future development. Simdustry helps you to step in the shoes of your corporate clients – concerning their past, their present and their future – so that banks and corporates work together to build value for both. Simdustry means Synergy!

With Simdustry you will:

• understand where to look in financial statements and ask the right questions in analysing the figures
• become aware of the impact of the banker’s decisions on the client’s business
• deepen your understanding of financial key data and concepts like ‚economic value added‘ (EVA)
• discover the secrets of ‚creative accounting‘.

Much more than a simulation, Simdustry is a powerful learning tool and a valuable instrument to enlarge your business knowledge and expertise. Simdustry is also extremely serious fun!

Content

You work on a board game simulation representing your “company”. In doing so, your “company” and the “companies” of the other participants compete together on the same market. All of the “company’s” strategic decisions must be made in the course of the seminar.

With the help of coins and boxes, all assets (buildings, machines, products, raw materials, liquid funds) as well as expenditure and income can be represented, influenced and moved. Thereby you increase not only your understanding of the seminar contents, but you also put this into action and experience the consequences.

Objectives

• Know and recognise factors which influence strategic decisions
• Develop or deepen your grasp of business fundamentals from a company – not a bank – view
• Get a broad understanding of situations in industrial companies
• Become aware of the need for corporate thinking and corporate competitiveness
• Transfer the insights and knowledge generated by the simulation to the reality in your own business
• Acquire the ability to interpret and analyse economic reports from the financial media
• Read, understand and analyse annual reports

Duration: 2-4 days