The Monaco MBA Residential Week kicked off with an exciting Entrepreneurial Challenge Week
The Monaco MBA students began their 3rd Residential Week with a focus on the fundamentals of corporate finance and accounting, led by Eric Keff, Corporate Finance Expert. Since the beginning of their MBA program, students progressively moved from understanding the numbers to using them to structure and build a business.
During this lecture, they also had the chance to hear from Victoria Ananyan, MBA Alumna (Cohort 2025), who is currently launching her Ballet School in Monaco. She joined them for a live case study and Q&A session, sharing the real entrepreneurial challenges behind turning a passion project into a sustainable venture.
She echoes what Eric Keff shared with the students: having a strong mentor is essential, especially when launching your own business. With the support of her mentor, Dr. Castello, she has been guided every step of the way.
He never gave up on me. He’s been by my side every step of the way, and it looks like we might soon be opening this ballet school together!
Victoria Ananyan, Monaco MBA 2025
Founder, Ananyan Ballet & Álemma Theater
For students aspiring to leadership positions, how important is it to develop financial literacy early in their careers?
Eric Keff: Financial literacy is essential for anyone aspiring to leadership. Leaders constantly allocate resources, evaluate opportunities, and manage risk, and financial information is the language through which these decisions are disciplined. Developing this literacy early helps managers understand how strategy translates into performance, cash generation, and long-term sustainability. It also builds credibility with investors, colleagues, and senior leadership. For entrepreneurs in particular, the ability to explain the financial logic of a project is often what transforms an idea into a fundable venture. Ultimately, financial literacy allows leaders to connect ambition with economic reality.
What advice would you give to MBA students who want to become more effective decision-makers using financial data?
Eric Keff: The first step is to focus on the business behind the numbers. Financial data becomes powerful only when it reflects how the company actually creates value. Learn to interpret information through a few key lenses: profitability, cash generation, and financial resilience. Always ask what assumptions drive the numbers and how changes in the business environment might affect them. The most effective leaders do not simply read financial reports; they question them and connect them to strategic choices. In that sense, financial literacy is less about accounting techniques and more about developing disciplined decision-making.
Biography
Eric Keff is a seasoned finance professional with over 25 years of experience in senior finance leadership roles, primarily within international LBO-backed groups. He has developed strong expertise in financial management, business transformation, and strategic advisory.
Today, he is driven by a passion for sharing his knowledge and experience to support the next generation of leaders. He now focuses on teaching corporate finance in higher education, bridging academic insights with real-world business practice.
For more information about our Monaco MBA program, check our website
If you have any questions, contact the admissions team at admissions@monaco.edu
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