Equipping a Diversified Holding Company With IFRS Training For Smarter Reporting

K MENA Equipping a Diversified Holding Company With IFRS Training For Smarter Reporting

Background

A well-established UAE-based holding company oversees a diverse portfolio of high-performing businesses across sectors such as luxury retail, real estate management, investment, and after-sales services. Its business units include one of the region’s most prestigious watch retailers, a real estate management entity, an investment arm, and specialized service providers. The group is known for its commitment to quality, integrity, and long-term value creation.

With increasing operational complexity and a growing emphasis on transparent financial reporting, the organization sought to further enhance the technical IFRS capabilities of its finance team.

Challenge

As part of their continuous commitment to excellence in financial reporting, the organization identified an opportunity to further strengthen the IFRS expertise of its finance team. Given the diversity of operations across sectors such as retail, real estate, and investment, the team needed a structured approach to mastering both core and complex IFRS principles.

Their team required IFRS training at both intermediate and advanced levels. At the intermediate level, team members needed to build a solid grounding in global accounting standards to improve their day-to-day financial reporting and interpretation. At the advanced level, there was a clear requirement to enhance consistency, accuracy, and confidence in applying IFRS principles, including leases, financial instruments, and fair value measurement.

Solution

To address this need comprehensively, Kaplan designed and delivered a dual-level IFRS training solution:

Intermediate IFRS Training:
Aimed at team members requiring a stronger foundation in IFRS, this module focused on equipping participants with the knowledge of key IFRS principles essential for daily financial presentations. The program covered the preparation and interpretation of financial statements as per globally accepted standards, with emphasis on presentation, recognition, measurement, and disclosure. It also addressed regulatory requirements relevant to the preparation and presentation of financial statements, enabling participants to confidently apply IFRS to common accounting issues across the group’s business units.

Advanced IFRS Training:
A two-day, sector-specific program tailored for senior finance professionals, focusing on complex and high-impact IFRS areas such as lease accounting (IFRS 16), financial instruments (IFRS 9), fair value measurement (IFRS 13), de-recognition of financial assets, and the treatment of events after the reporting date. Facilitated by industry experts, the sessions used case studies and real-world scenarios drawn from the group’s diverse operations, encouraging practical interpretation and application of standards.

Impact

A total of 32 team members were trained across both levels, resulting in enhanced technical capabilities and improved consistency in financial reporting practices across the organization.

IFRS training initiative delivered a measurable and meaningful impact across both Intermediate and Advanced levels. The program delivered strong results: an average 92% overall satisfaction rate, 88% clarity rating for simplifying complex concepts, and an 82% recommendation rate. These outcomes reflect Kaplan’s ability to upskill finance professionals at all levels—building foundational knowledge and advancing technical expertise to meet the demands of a diverse and evolving business environment.

The Intermediate IFRS training laid a strong foundation, enabling participants to interpret and prepare financial statements more accurately and in compliance with IFRS, while enhancing their understanding of global reporting standards in a UAE-specific context.

The Advanced IFRS program provided senior team members with the tools and confidence to navigate advanced IFRS standards. Participants achieved standardized lease accounting practices, improved classification and measurement of financial assets under IFRS 9, and applied fair value measurement techniques more accurately.

By targeting different levels within the finance function, the IFRS training approach enhanced technical accuracy, promoted internal alignment, and reinforced the organization’s commitment to financial excellence and transparency. It also fostered a culture of continuous learning, ensuring long-term capability development. Participants left the sessions with not only enhanced skills but also practical tools they could immediately apply in their roles.

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