New: Financial modelling focused ‘Learning Sessions’ for business schools and key clients

If you are reading this, then you are most likely aware of Mazars activities in relation to financial modelling focused training courses and webinars. For the last couple of years many of these activities have been delivered digitally, but now that borders are re-opening after Covid we are excited to meet more financial modelling professionals in person.

We really like sharing our expertise in financial modelling

One way for us to ‘give back’ to the society and key clients is by organising financial modelling focused learning session for business schools and key clients. We typically see 10-50 participants engage in a specific topic over 45-90 minutes, and the discussions following the sessions keep developing our team while also increasing the capabilities of the participants.

While we typically work with our key clients around these sessions, we also reserve capacity for business schools and often work with Energy & Infrastructure clubs, societies, or courses.

Some of the sessions are extracts from our full financial modelling courses, and others contain additional content not covered in our most popular courses best practice project finance modelling, advanced project finance modelling, renewable energy modelling, acquisition modelling or financial modelling for mining projects. 

Europe update: London, Amsterdam, Oslo, Paris, Stockholm, Frankfurt

In November 2020 the Mazars financial modelling team worked with our clients in Zurich, Switzerland, to organise both public training and a few tailored learning sessions. Based on the very positive reception of these events, we have decided to expand the format, and are planning the following locations for the first half of 2021. We have a few slots scheduled, but still have flexibility to move things around to make space for new organisations and business schools – please get in touch if you would like to discuss how/if this could work for you and your team.

Financial modelling learning sessions: Europe January-June 2022

• London – January 2022
• Amsterdam – February 2022
• Oslo – March 2022
• Paris – April 2022
• Stockholm – May 2022
• Frankfurt – June 2022

Sample outlines: Financial modelling learning sessions (45-90 minutes):

What is financial modelling best practice in Energy and Infrastructure

Overview of globally accepted best-practice model structures and functionality

• Model architecture and flow of information
• Overview of Mazars financial modelling themes and how they are incorporated
• Required functionality for a bankable transactions model
• Market expectation on outputs, documentation, and model audit

Review your spreadsheets for errors 
If you want to expand your skills in finding errors in spreadsheets, then this is for you 

• Learn built-in Excel functionality that helps you identify errors 
• Develop a mind-set that helps with validation and cross references 
• Understand different ways of using visual tools to find structural errors 
• Includes extracts from our financial model review course

Take your Excel skills to Power User status
If you want to achieve more, in less time, then this is for you

• Optimising Excel settings
• Time saving Excel shortcuts
• Functionality which produces better results faster
• Includes advanced extracts from our Excel Diploma course

VBA in Excel – an introduction to functions and automation 
If you have always wondered how to get started learning VBA, this is for you 

• Build your first VBA function 
• Learn how to develop your knowledge 
• Automate your macros with buttons or link them to actions 
• Based on modules from our VBA for financial models course

Financial Modelling: From Bid to Operations (including ‘actual’ financial statements)
Following a successful financial transaction (project finance, bid, M&A, re-financing, etc), it is regarded best-practice to convert the Transaction Model to an Operations Model.

The trainer will demonstrate which functionality to strip out of the model after a transaction to make the model better suited for asset management, discuss the different approaches to incorporate Historical Financial Statements (‘Actuals’) in the financial model and showcase a full-scale operation model, associated switches, integrity checks and additional functionality.

Sensitivity analysis of a financial model that you didn’t build yourself

For your team members working in credit analysis, project finance or with investments, performing scenario and sensitivity analysis of a third-party financial model is part of your daily life.

If not performed efficiently, it can be an incredibly time-consuming task and there is a great risk of manual error given the highly repetitive nature of the task.

The trainer will demonstrate how to approach the sensitivity and scenario analysis of a model developed by a third party following a systematic process.

Successful restructuring of PFI/PPP Projects
In recent years, the market has seen an increasing number of high-profile defaults of Private Finance Initiatives (PFI) and Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) – and the risk remains that these continue going forward. After examining major risk factors causing distress this webinar is focused on the common issues and key success factors associated with restructuring PFI/PPP transactions.

This session is supported by two articles by Harris Waseem:

• https://blogs.mazars.com/letstalkenergy/2021/09/15/restructuring-private-finance-initiatives-and-public-private-partnerships-part-1-causes-of-distress/
• https://blogs.mazars.com/letstalkenergy/2021/09/15/restructuring-private-finance-initiatives-and-public-private-partnerships-part-2-challenges-and-key-success-factors/

APAC & Americas – waiting for easing Covid restrictions

This step towards getting back to meeting clients and passionate financial modellers face to face is something we are quite excited about. Once we see easing restrictions in the US and APAC we are planning similar initiatives in those regions. In other regions we are to still planning to service digitally, but if you want us to change our minds – let us know!

We regularly work with clients in Toronto, NYC, Cape Town, Dubai/UAE, New Delhi, Singapore, Manila and all over Australia, and with easing Covid restrictions we look forward to an increased program of learning sessions – see you soon!

If you would like a learning session when we are in your city or discuss digital delivery options (this also works really well), please contact me on Kenny.adesodun@gif.mazars.com