A tailored course, built for your situation
Final call on acquisition financing terms, without escalation
Own the decision rights on leveraged finance structuring and move faster in competitive deals
$199 one-time
24-hour access provisioning
30-day money-back guarantee
Hand-built implementation playbook
12 modules. 12 chapters per module. 144 chapters total.
12 modules, each with 12 chapters (144 chapters total), text-based, plus downloadable templates and a hand-built implementation playbook delivered alongside course access.
The situation this course is for
Who this is for
Director-level finance practitioner in acquisition or leveraged finance at a global bank, responsible for structuring complex debt facilities and navigating internal approvals and syndicate dynamics
Who this is not for
Analysts focused on model execution, associates not yet leading deal structuring, or professionals outside leveraged finance or debt capital markets
What you walk away with
- Approve pricing bands and yield thresholds on acquisition facilities without referral
- Set covenant flexibility parameters (maintenance vs. incurrence) that pass credit committee scrutiny on first submission
- Own the final decision on tranche allocation between TLB, TLB-2, and institutional tranches
- Preempt syndicate bank objections with pre-loaded comparables and investor appetite benchmarks
- Represent the house position in joint-bookrunner negotiations without deferring to senior management
The 12 modules (with all 144 chapters)
Module 1. Decision ownership in leveraged finance
Define which structuring decisions you can own outright and how to build institutional credibility around them.
12 chapters in this module
- What gets escalated , and why
- Patterns in unilateral sign-off cases
- Mapping internal approval triggers
- Credit committee red lines vs. flexibility zones
- Precedent deals with clean approval paths
- Positioning beyond 'recommended for approval'
- When you become the approver
- Structuring within policy guardrails
- The threshold between judgment and referral
- Documenting rationale that stands alone
- How senior partners delegate authority
- Your role in deal velocity
Module 2. Pricing band authority
Set pricing ranges for floating and fixed tranches that hold firm without upward referral.
12 chapters in this module
- Current investor appetite benchmarks
- Spread over SOFR by rating tier
- Discounts for anchor investors
- Flex language that protects pricing floors
- Using recent syndicate clears as proof
- When to lock, when to flex
- Positioning inside RM tolerance
- Avoiding ‘best efforts’ pricing clauses
- Refinancing premium expectations
- Currency-specific spreads
- Emerging market risk overlays
- Final call on pricing tier selection
Module 3. Covenant framework decisions
Choose between maintenance and incurrence covenants and set thresholds without review.
12 chapters in this module
- Investor demand by covenant type
- Maintenance covenants in TLB-2
- Incurrence-only for public sponsors
- Total leverage ratio bands
- Interest coverage minimums
- Asset disposal restrictions
- Restricted payments flexibility
- Dividend basket sizing
- Change of control triggers
- Covenant-lite vs. moderate deals
- Sector-specific benchmarks
- Final sign-off on covenant package
Module 4. Tranche structuring authority
Decide on split between institutional, club, and hold positions based on investor appetite.
12 chapters in this module
- Typical TLB institutional take
- Club bank relationship value
- Hold size by deal size tier
- Dual-currency tranche design
- Amortization profile decisions
- Call protection periods
- PIK toggle conditions
- Equity cure rights
- Refinancing rights for sponsor
- First-out vs. last-out structuring
- Preferred equity interplay
- Final call on tranche allocation
Module 5. Documentation ownership
Lead on drafting key credit agreement terms with minimal partner rework.
12 chapters in this module
- Materiality qualifiers in reps
- Baskets vs. carveouts in covenants
- Excluded subsidiaries definition
- Guarantor scope decisions
- Collateral package depth
- Permitted liens by type
- Incremental facility conditions
- Refinancing facility mechanics
- Default waterfall sequencing
- Voting threshold settings
- Amendment provisions
- Final approval on first draft
Module 6. Credit committee navigation
Anticipate committee concerns and structure submissions that clear on first pass.
12 chapters in this module
- Typical committee escalation triggers
- Risk rating challenge points
- LGD assumptions by collateral type
- Sponsor track record documentation
- Borrower EBITDA quality flags
- Add-back justification standards
- Multiple compression risks
- Industry downturn sensitivity
- Debt service coverage stress
- Refinancing risk timeline
- Liquidity headroom buffers
- Building submittal packs that clear
Module 7. Syndicate bank alignment
Preempt objections from co-lead and participating banks with data-backed positioning.
12 chapters in this module
- Lead bank mandate expectations
- Co-lead fee tension points
- Institutional investor appetites
- Known investor red lines
- Using recent comparable deals
- Syndication timing pressure
- Discount expectations for quick clear
- Flex language negotiations
- Secondary market implications
- Hold position signaling
- Relationship vs. economics trade-offs
- Setting the tone in banker calls
Module 8. Sponsor negotiation stance
Hold firm on key terms without needing senior cover in private equity discussions.
12 chapters in this module
- Standard sponsor asks by tier
- Basket size for restricted payments
- Equity cure frequency limits
- Dividend ramp-up schedules
- Incurrence covenant carveouts
- Refinancing rights scope
- Change of control payments
- Management fee restrictions
- Transaction bonus allowances
- Covenant step-down triggers
- Equity rollover incentives
- Final say in term sheet replies
Module 9. Internal stakeholder alignment
Secure buy-in from legal, compliance, and capital planning without delays.
12 chapters in this module
- Legal review turnaround norms
- Compliance thresholds for sponsor type
- Capital allocation scoring
- RWA impact by tranche type
- Liquidity coverage ratio effects
- Funding desk coordination
- Treasury hedging alignment
- FX risk ownership
- KYC escalation paths
- AML review timelines
- Regulatory reporting tags
- Cross-functional alignment checklist
Module 10. Precedent file mastery
Build a personal repository of winning term sheets and credit approvals.
12 chapters in this module
- Deal archive sourcing
- Tagging by sponsor type
- Extracting pricing data
- Mapping covenant flexibility
- Tranche split patterns
- Credit committee comments log
- Syndicate feedback snippets
- Sponsor negotiation outcomes
- Legal amendment history
- Investor appetite shifts
- Internal memo templates
- Your decision precedent library
Module 11. Decision communication
Frame your decisions as definitive without over-justifying or inviting challenge.
12 chapters in this module
- Email tone for finality
- Minutes that reflect ownership
- Presenting to senior partners
- Handling 'have you checked with X?'
- Confidence markers in language
- Avoiding hedging phrases
- Using data as closure
- When to circulate vs. decide
- Managing upward visibility
- Positioning as policy-compliant
- Tone in cross-border teams
- Command without overreach
Module 12. Ongoing authority reinforcement
Turn consistent decision quality into lasting ownership of structuring rights.
12 chapters in this module
- Tracking your escalation-free deals
- Feedback from syndicate desks
- Sponsor satisfaction indicators
- Credit committee pass rates
- Rapid turnaround recognition
- Internal promotion of your calls
- Documenting decision rationales
- Teaching junior team members
- Setting new baselines
- Expanding scope to new sectors
- Leading Q2 deal intake
- Your sustained decision leadership
How this maps to your situation
- When structuring a cross-border LBO with multiple tranches
- Negotiating terms with a top-tier PE sponsor
- Submitting to credit committee with tight deadline
- Coordinating with syndicate banks on pricing flex
Before vs. after
Before
Structuring decisions require senior review, even on routine terms, slowing execution and diluting ownership.
After
You own the final call on pricing, covenants, and tranche splits , decisions clear internally and hold in syndication.
What's included with your purchase
- 12 modules with 12 chapters each (144 chapters)
- Downloadable templates and worked examples for every module
- Hand-built implementation playbook delivered alongside course access
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Delivery and format
- Course and learning environment access provisioned within 24 hours of purchase
- Hand-built implementation playbook delivered alongside course access
Format: Text-based modules and chapters in the Art of Service learning environment, plus downloadable templates and worked examples for every chapter, plus the hand-built implementation playbook delivered alongside course access.
Time investment: 45, 60 minutes per module, designed to be completed alongside active deal cycles.
How this compares to the alternatives
Unlike generic finance certifications or bank-led training, this course focuses exclusively on the decision rights that separate directors who execute from those who escalate.
Frequently asked
Is this relevant for non-U.S. leveraged finance deals?
Yes. Modules include cross-border structuring, dual-currency tranches, and EU investor appetite benchmarks.
How is the course structured?
12 modules, each containing 12 chapters (144 chapters total).
Will this help me reduce reliance on senior partners?
Yes. The course builds your ability to own final decisions on pricing, covenants, and tranche allocation with confidence and institutional backing.
$199 one-time. 45, 60 minutes per module, designed to be completed alongside active deal cycles..
Within 24 hours your account in the learning environment is provisioned and the tailored implementation playbook is delivered alongside it.
30-day money-back guarantee·
144 chapters·
Hand-built playbook included·
Account access within 24 hours