The Financial Modelling Podcast

Season 3 of the Financial Modelling Podcast focuses on the tools and technologies that make financial modellers' lives easier. It also looks at the Global Excel Summit which was due to happen in April 2020 but was postponed (with all other conferences) due to the global pandemic. In this episode, I catch up with co-founder Elena to hear the latest Summit news and how they are dealing with this unique situation.

Excel Analyzer gives users the power to clean, optimize and analyze Excel files and financial models. It is well known that virtually every Excel model contains errors, however, tools such as Excel Analyzer allow us to interrogate our models to ensure they are correct as possible. In this episode, I chat to podcast regular Lance Rubin and Excel Analyzer creator Maarten Bessems.

OAK is a spreadsheet auditing Excel Add-in that helps builders and reviewers save time and effort getting to grips with spreadsheet structures and formulas. In this episode, I chat to Rui Sobreiros on where OAK came from, how it helps modellers around the world and what the new version holds in store for us.

In episode 5 of the Financial Modelling Podcast, I chat to Zoltan Hegedus about the work he has done to enable modellers to better understand their models.

Gianluca Bisceglie spent time in private equity before founding Visyond. His time as a private equity deal maker made him realize the inefficiencies in the system, and he set out trying to solve these issues by developing a secure and automated platform for spreadsheet collaboration, analysis and reporting.

In Episode 3 we are joined by Tea Kuseva and Elena Lalovska to chat about what will be happening at the Global Excel Summit in April, why they chose London and what they love about Excel.

In episode 2, Kenny Whitelaw-Jones from season 3 sponsor Gridlines joins the podcast to discuss his highlights for 2020 and how Gridlines have developed a financial modelling technology stack to empower their modelling team.

Welcome back to the Financial Modelling Podcast! In this introduction episode to season 3, I outline some of the upcoming guests on the podcast and talk about the Global Excel Summit happening in London in April 2020.

In the finale of the Financial Modelling Podcast Season 2, Lance Rubin, Colin Human, Oz du Soleil, Brian Donnelly and myself discuss the best and worst of Microsoft Excel, financial modelling and what the future holds. Join us as we take a journey around the world of Microsoft Excel experts!

Skyline AI is an artificial intelligence investment manager for commercial real estate. In the penultimate Financial Modelling Podcast of Season 2, I interview Skyline AI co-founder and CEO Guy Zipori. We discuss how AI is helping managers make better decisions, why he chose the real estate industry and the role financial modelling plays in Skyline AI.

How are shopping centres, residential developments and the tallest buildings in the world financed? At the core of each of these transactions is a real estate financial model. In this podcast, we chat with Andri Rabetanety, a real estate financial modelling expert. We talk about the intricacies of real estate models, how banks are facilitating the financing of social housing projects and the emergence of PropTech.

What is Project Finance? What differentiates it from corporate or leveraged finance? Why does it suit infrastructure projects and what are infrastructure financing models all about? Find out in this episode of the Financial Modelling Podcast, based on my popular blog post and download.

Can you create a financial model using an Excel add-in? Is creating a model as easier as selecting a few options from a modelling wizard? In this episode of the Financial Modelling Podcast, we chat to Alexander Artajaya about how he dived into the world of financial modelling using add-ins. We discuss the pros and cons of Excel financial modelling tools, and what could soon be the future of financial modelling.

As an investment analyst, should you learn Microsoft Excel or Python? Will the future of asset management be dominated by Robo-asset managers? In this podcast, we delve into the world of Asset Management with Dan Page. He explains why every future financial modeller and investment manager needs to not only know finance, but at least two programming languages! Find out why in this fascinating deep dive into the world of quantitative analysis.

Why does every startup need a financial model? What is the purpose of a financial model, and how can it help a business grow, obtain finance and avoid bankruptcy? Find out in this podcast on financial modelling for entrepreneurs, startups and small businesses!

According to Ronak Gopaldas, "the key to being successful in Africa hinges on understanding it properly. The nuances, the subtleties and the intricacies. The stuff you don't get from sitting behind a desktop." Ronak is a director of Signal Risk, an African risk management consultancy, and is a Tutu Fellow. In this podcast, we discuss how to identify risk and opportunities on the vast African continent. We also discuss the five current trends in Africa.

In the summer of 2016, entrepreneur Sam Floy packed up his life in London and took a one-way flight to East Africa. After a brief tour, he settled down in Nairobi, Kenya to start a few businesses. He is still there, running a couple of successful companies and experiencing Kenyan life. In this podcast, I ask him what attracted him to Kenya, what startup opportunities are like there and what the challenges are.

As a traded commodity, the price of a kg of arabica coffee has dramatically fallen. For many farmers & producers, this price has fallen to a level below the costs of production. Thirdspace and SEAM is a coffee roaster focused on connecting farmers & consumers through generous & transparent trade. In this episode, I chat with David Walstra from Thirdspace on what ethically sourced coffee means and how to run a coffee shop! I love coffee, and knowing that everyone is treated fairly throughout the coffee making process means a lot to me as I enjoy my cortado!

Debt sculpting is an exceptionally powerful tool to not only match debt repayments with cash flows which may be increasing or varying over time, but also to maximise the debt in a project. This podcast is the culmination of a three-part tutorial comprising of a downloadable Excel example, a Financial Modelling Podcast blog post and a podcast. Go through all three to master the art of debt sculpting!

What does it mean to go against the flow and maintain belief in yourself when no-one else does? In this episode, we discuss the art of contrarian investing - buying and selling against popular opinion. It may take years for contrarian investors to be proven right, but when they are it is typically in spectacular fashion. Tune in to find out what contrarian investing means.

What will the workplace of the future look like? According to Adi Kaimwoitz, it's not necessarily the offices of the firm or client you work for! Adi Kaimowitz is CEO of Virtual Actuary, a company that empowers actuaries to utilize cutting edge technology platforms, as they apply actuarial techniques to deliver insights which are pre-emptive, precise and practical. In this podcast, I ask him about this innovative business model.

He has authored 54 books about Microsoft Excel, Power Pivot and Power View. He publishes books about Microsoft Office. You will find him on the road doing live Power Excel seminars for 35 events a year. He has over 2000 Excel videos on YouTube. He is regarded as an Excel master and is known online as Mr Excel. In this podcast., I ask him what's next for Microsoft Excel.

Hedging is incredibly important, especially for large infrastructure projects which run the risk of being underfunded if currency and interest rates move in the wrong direction! In this episode, I chat with Lionel Kruger who provides infrastructure hedging strategies. We discuss the importance of hedging and how it is done.

In this FMP Short Stuff episode, I discuss the DSCR. Why is the DSCR so important that banks make it a covenant? Best you do not breach this key ratio which dictates how easily you can service your debt in any given period from cash flow. The DSCR is a key metric for any deal and shows how capable a project is of paying its debt.

Africa contains enormous potential, and firms need to think hard about where to focus their efforts on the African continent. Celeste Fauconnier and Neville Mandimika are Africa investment experts who assess opportunities and analyse the risks of various African markets. Join me as I discuss their latest Where to Invest in Africa report.

Welcome to FMP Short Stuff where we discuss financial model essentials in five minutes or less! Today we discuss the financial model audit and why it is so important.

What does it mean to be a financial modeller? The Financial Modeling Institute is standardising this skill by offering professional certification in the form of the Financial Modeling exams, from Level 1 (Advanced Financial Modeler) to Level 3 (Master Financial Modeler). The FMI is advancing the financial modelling profession by delivering and administering the Financial Modeling Certifications and supporting high-quality education and training for financial professionals. In this interview, I chat with Ian Schnoor from the FMI.

Chandoo.org is one of the top online Excel resources, with tutorials on everything from dashboards to financial modelling. Chandoo is the CEO, or Chief Excel Officer, of Chandoo.org, which provides training on Excel and PowerBI. He is also an Excel MVP. In this interview, I chat with Chandoo about Excel trends and how he became an Excel master.

Chandoo.org is one of the top online Excel resources, with tutorials on everything from dashboards to financial modelling. Chandoo is the CEO, or Chief Excel Officer, of Chandoo.org, which provides training on Excel and PowerBI. He is also an Excel MVP. In this interview, I chat with Chandoo about Excel trends and how he became an Excel master.

Spreadsheets are amazing tools - versatile and capable of many different jobs. Unfortunately, the same ease of usability and access means they can be a source of risk. How can companies effectively manage the risk of many spreadsheets and processes running throughout the organisation? ClusterSeven enables enterprises to understand, manage and monitor their key business applications that sit outside of IT's control, such as Excel Spreadsheets. In this episode, I interview Alex Subba Row from ClusterSeven to talk about what this risk is and how it can be managed.

Very few people decide to uproot their entire lives and start a new business on a different continent, but Sean Keough did just that! Join me through sometimes patchy audio quality as I chat to Sean about business in Ethiopia, a country averaging growth over 10% per annum over the past 10 years. Sean runs Ethiopia Investments Limited, a permanent capital vehicle focused on Ethiopia and is also an executive director of EQOS. EQOS Global is Ethiopia's first business process outsourcing (BPO) company. The Company provides various ICT services (data entry, data quality, data cleansing, data mining, data transcription and database management services) for customers located in the US and the UK.

In this episode, we chat to Daniel Tenzer, Actuarial Manager at SNG Argen, about what an actuary actually does! He explains what actuaries study and how this enables them to perform company valuations and even data science. If you have thought about studying actuarial science, or are just interested in the profession, this episode is for you.

Corporate Finance Institute (CFI) is an online financial analyst training and certification organization with 160,000+ students from over 170 countries. CFI is the official provider of the Financial Modeling & Valuation Analyst (FMVA) designation, a program designed to help anyone become a "world-class financial analyst". The curriculum focuses on practical applications of accounting, finance, Excel, financial modeling, valuation, presentations, and business strategy. In this episode, I chat with Tim Vipond, CEO and co-founder of CFI on how the company works, and whether training and economic activity are linked. In addition, Financial Modelling Podcast listeners can get 10% off CFI courses.

In this podcast, I chat to Stefanie Bourne, Business Director, Renewable Energy Project Development at DNV GL. DNV GL acts as a lender's technical advisor on a number of infrastructure projects, as well as providing a myriad of other services. We discuss wind power, project finance, due diligence and data science.

In this crossover episode, I chat to Andrew Ward from INFRACAST about financial modelling for infrastructure.

In this podcast we interview Joey French, co-founder, President & CFO of Intrinio, a company based in Florida, USA. Intrinio provides access to a wealth of financial data through an API platform, including many SDKs to major programming languages, an Excel Add-In, and a Google Sheets add-on. In this episode, we discuss financial data and how Intrinio aims to provide clean financial data to businesses, developers and entrepreneurs.

Adrian Miric is an Excel expert, financial modeller and trainer. In this episode, we discuss how important staying relevant with Microsoft Excel updates is, and how powerful these new tools are! Adrian also explains how he started his own consulting and training firm and some of his experiences in running his own business.

Every major project and deal is underpinned by a financial model. Models give insight and help drive value. As the world changes so models change to keep up and modellers have to develop new approaches and new solutions. These awards were created to recognise new ideas and innovators in the dynamic field of financial modelling.

In this episode, we interview Russell Nel, a privacy expert who explains what privacy means to individuals and companies, and why privacy is a basic human right. We delve into the history of privacy as a human right and discuss what it means for both financial modelling and data science.

This episode sees Rickard Wärnelid, Mazars Infrastructure & Energy sector lead, discuss infrastructure finance and standardisation of these unique financial models. Rickard also elaborates on his path from a quantitative analyst to running Corality, a leading provider of infrastructure financial modelling training, to his current role at Mazars.

In this episode, we discuss how Export Credit Agencies support transaction around the world with Inal Henry. We delve into the details of export finance and how many projects rely on this support to obtain bank finance. We also investigate how this field may be changing in the future to support the export of technology.

In this episode, we get to the bottom of what maths of finance is all about! Cyprian Moloto, a quantitative risk analyst, explains how he uses maths every day in one of Africa's largest investment banks. From credit rating methodologies to machine learning - this episode dives into the details of this fascinating field!

Join us as we chat to Wouter du Preez, an aviation financier. Wouter discusses aircraft leasing and how finance works in the aviation sector. He also discusses how big data has an increasingly important role in aviation finance.

In this episode, Alan Chown, Inflation Trader at Rand Merchant Bank, discusses how the inflation market works and how to model inflation in financial models. We discuss how countries and traders view inflation, and how to estimate this important assumption which can affect both revenue and costs!

In this podcast, we chat to Colin Human, CEO of GoalFix Financial Modelling. Colin has been a financial modeller for 40 years, and also trains and lectures on financial modelling worldwide. Colin chats to us about his company, how he started financial modelling and what it is like to run a financial modelling firm. He also gives advice to those looking to start financial modelling or a small business.

In this episode, we chat to Dave Theron - a South African financial modelling legend. Dave shares with us his financial modelling story, from using punched cards and running scenarios using mainframes, to his career as a lecturer and trainer. Dave is well known in the South African and global financial modelling world, having trained in Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, Namibia and South Africa. Join us as we travel back in time to the beginning of financial modelling.

In this episode, we chat to Danielle Stein Fairhurst from plum solutions. Danielle is an author, financial modeller and host of the Australian financial modelling meetups. She talks to us about modelling trends and how to learn from other financial modellers, as well as her latest book!

The accurate financial modelling of infrastructure projects is critical to ensure they are properly banked and robust enough to handle any circumstances that may arise. Hear from Dario Musso, the Head of Infrastructure Finance at Rand Merchant Bank, as we discuss how infrastructure finance modelling has evolved and what role it plays in banking today.

Despite the fact that artificial intelligence, automation and machine learning are so widely discussed at the moment, Microsoft Excel remains one of the most commonly used tools in any finance department. Financial Modelling continues to be one of the top skills required for Finance professionals in today's corporates, business or even government. What does all this innovation and disruption mean for financial modellers, or anyone working in finance? Hear from financial modelling expert, Lance Rubin (https://au.linkedin.com/in/lance-rubin-33a61b), who disrupted 75% of his own role as the CFO at the fintech start-up, Banjo, by using some of this technology. Lance Rubin is the CEO of Model Citizn, a Melbourne-based financial modelling consulting firm that specialises in building models across a range of sectors including social benefit bonds, infrastructure and property and financial services for companies and investment trusts. Lance whilst remaining as the CFO of Banjo is also a contractor to the KPMG Australia modelling team and has over 20 years in financial services