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Strong business acumen is a defining capability of effective leaders. Beyond functional expertise, they must be able to interpret business results, understand commercial drivers, and connect day-to-day decisions to broader strategy. This includes seeing how choices across finance, operations, marketing, and HR collectively shape enterprise outcomes. The ability to speak the language of business with clarity and authority is what distinguishes managers who contribute within their function from those who influence at the enterprise level.
Business Acumen for Commercial Success is a two-day, in-person course that provides a structured foundation for commercial literacy. Backed by more than 50 years of Korn Ferry research into leadership and organisational effectiveness, the course builds confidence in analysing business performance, weighing strategic trade-offs, and engaging credibly in discussions that shape long-term direction.
During the course, you will work through case studies, applied exercises, and facilitated discussions that mirror the decisions leaders face in complex organisations. The emphasis is on practical application, giving you the opportunity to test insights against real-world challenges and translate them into approaches you can use immediately at work.
By the end, you will be able to contribute more effectively to cross-functional decisions, strengthen your strategic influence, and demonstrate leadership that drives sustained organisational success.
This course will equip you to:
This course is designed for professionals seeking to broaden their business perspective and strengthen their impact on organisational performance. It is particularly relevant for:
To successfully complete the Business Acumen for Commercial Success course, participants must meet the following requirements:
Participants who meet these requirements will receive a digital Certificate of Completion from Korn Ferry Academy.
Administrative details on attendance tracking, assessment, and funding eligibility can be found in our Terms & Conditions and in the course confirmation email sent to participants.
Full Course Fee
$2,100* (before funding and GST)
Course Fee Payable
The payable course fees reflect the amount after approved course fee grant and subsidies are applied. All fees are in Singapore Dollars (SGD) and inclusive of 9% GST.
SkillsFuture Funding (SSG)
Eligible Singapore Citizens (SCs) and Singapore Permanent Residents (PRs) may receive funding of up to 70% of course fees for SSG-supported courses. Funding levels, eligibility and payable fees are subject to prevailing funding policies at the point of course commencement.
Mid-Career Enhanced Subsidy (MCES)
SCs aged 40 and above may receive up to 90% course fee funding for SSG-supported courses (subject to meeting baseline funding conditions).
More information >
Enhanced Training Support for SMEs (ETSS)
Eligible SMEs that fully sponsor their SC/PR employees for SSG-supported courses may receive up to 90% course fee funding.
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SkillsFuture Enterprise Credit (SFEC)
Eligible employers may utilise their SFEC to offset up to 90% of out-of-pocket costs for supported courses.
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SkillsFuture Credit (for Individuals)
SCs aged 25 and above may use their SkillsFuture Credit (Base Tier and, where eligible, Mid-Career Tier) to offset payable course fees for eligible courses.
More information >
21 & 22 Apr 2026
7 & 8 Jul 2026
3 & 4 Sep 2026
Andrew Ng is a business and sales leader with more than 30 years of international experience spanning HP Inc, SIM Academy, and the Singapore Armed Forces. He specialises in building high-performing teams, driving strategic growth, and developing leadership capabilities at all levels.
At HP, Andrew held diverse roles in strategic accounts, regional sales, and global product innovation. At SIM Academy, he led sales and client engagement, co-creating development solutions. His military background, culminating as an infantry brigade chief of staff, brings additional depth in operational leadership and discipline.
Andrew holds a BA (Hons) in Economics and Philosophy from the National University of Singapore and is a graduate of the Singapore Command and Staff College. He is a certified facilitator in SPIN, Account Strategy for Major Sales (ASMS), GROW Coaching, Multipliers, and ACLP 2.0. Outside of work, he is an active swimmer and outdoor enthusiast.
Kirpal Singh Sidhu brings more than 20 years of experience as an entrepreneur, business consultant, coach, and trainer. He is the CEO of Adlerblick Pte. Ltd., a business coaching and advisory firm, and a Partner at Founders Bridge, where he has guided organisations through strategic growth and transformation.
His career spans public service, the co-founding of technology start-ups, and investments in biotech and security ventures. A notable achievement includes co-founding a supply chain company that expanded into a global organisation with 50 employees.
Kirpal is known for a “high challenge, high support” approach that motivates leaders to stretch their potential while providing practical guidance. His expertise includes talent management, leadership development, and business strategy, with a particular interest in how sustainability can drive long-term growth.
In addition to his role at Korn Ferry Academy, Kirpal serves as Senior Advisor at NUS Business School’s Enterprise Leadership Transformation programme and as adjunct faculty for the NUS MBA capstone. He has also contributed to programmes at INSEAD, including the capstone and Entrepreneurship Bootcamp. An ICF Certified Coach, he combines deep expertise with a commitment to empowering leaders to deliver sustainable business outcomes.
“What made the biggest difference for me was the facilitator’s coaching and guidance. I rarely get such opportunities at work, and his insights helped me connect the dots — clarifying what business acumen really means, why it matters, and how to demonstrate it effectively.”
“The content was extremely relevant for a new manager like me. I now feel more equipped to understand and contribute to management discussions, particularly around business planning and strategy.”
“This course helped me identify our organisation’s value propositions, spot blind spots, and communicate more clearly concisely by focusing on content, context, and a clear call to action when addressing a business audience.”
“The business canvas learning is very useful because it provides a clear, structured way to think about any business or initiative. I really appreciate the facilitator — he is effective and engaging, and I like that he gets straight to the point without unnecessary fluff. It was also helpful that he used examples from our own organisations, which made the concepts much more relatable and easier to apply. Overall, a very good facilitator.”
The Business Acumen for Commercial Success course is ideal for managers and professionals from non-finance backgrounds who want to strengthen their business acumen and understand how their decisions impact revenue, profit, and long-term strategy. It is beneficial for individuals looking to interpret business drivers, speak the language of finance, and make commercially sound recommendations to senior stakeholders.
You’ll learn how organisations create value, interpret financial statements, evaluate strategic trade-offs, and make data-informed decisions. The course helps you connect operational choices to financial outcomes, build persuasive business cases, and communicate with commercial credibility.
No prior financial knowledge is required. Financial fluency is developed progressively through relatable business examples.
You will learn through a discovery-driven and experiential approach that includes interactive exercises, short case studies, peer challenges, and reflection discussions designed to help you translate theory into practical understanding.
After each topic, you’ll examine workplace and team scenarios to identify opportunities to apply your learning. The facilitator provides guided feedback to reinforce how concepts can be applied back on the job.
The course bridges strategy, finance, and people. Rather than focusing on accounting, it develops the mindset and confidence to think commercially, helping you influence leadership decisions and demonstrate measurable business impact.
