Naked Finance, David Meckin

Published by Nicholas Brealey

Buy it now from Blackwell Books

Business finance pure and simple

David Meckin is a Member of the Chartered Management Institute, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers and his clients include FTSE-100 companies and international household names.

Despite this he manages to make finance interesting, simple and very nearly enjoyable.

Aimed mainly at non-financial managers – those are the ones expected to have a grasp of budget preparation, be able to understand financial reports and handle cash flow issues with absolutely no training - the book presents complex concepts in plain, almost jargon-free English. To his credit (non-financial) David explains the jargon when he has to use it.

Using simple illustrations of his arguments, he teaches us the skills necessary to manage sales and costs, to make sure cash is there when needed and to manage long term projects. Along the way he also reveals how you measure financial success, how to make real profits and which of the many figures you need to pay proper attention to.

The book is written in a straightforward style that makes it easy to read while still providing a thorough and practical guide to the essentials of business finance.

A worthwhile introduction to the topic that should be on pretty well every manager’s bookshelf.