Slides from a recent Financial Modelling in Excel meetup co-hosted by Danielle Stein Fairhurst (Plum Solutions) and Lance Rubin (CEO of Model Citizn) held in KPMG's offices in Melbourne. The slides provide some insight as to how it is possible to benefit from one of the most sought after skills in today's business world, namely Financial Modelling. This is more than just Microsoft Excel but also the art of creative out of the box thinking. It shows the wide spectrum of roles which require the skill, in addition to key attributes of a financial modeller and some practical steps in how one might get there. Not to mention the perils of standing still and being disrupted with the rise of machine learning, cognitive computing, artificial intelligence etc. Enjoy !

1. HOW FINANCIAL MODELLING CAN HELP YOU MAKE A STEP CHANGE
IN YOUR CAREER ?

2. MY CAREER JOURNEY
Auditor
PwC
Investment
Banker
Investec Bank
Finance
Partner and
leader
NAB
Financial Modelling
Consultant & CFO
Model Citizn
Banjo
KPMG
Intermediate Excel,
Limited FM
Analytical Review,
Substantive testing
Advanced Excel,
Intermediate FM
M&A, Advisory
Transaction Modeler
Advanced Excel & FM
Forecasting, and strategic
planning for $5bn Debt
Markets division (Revenue
circa $220m)
Spreadsheet disruption and
automation
Social Benefit Bond
Modelling
Expert Financial Modeler
Sustainable and scalable
modelling across multiple
industries and companies.
Applying modelling skills to a
fintech start-up.
Roles
Financial
Modelling (FM)
Skill

3. HOW CAN YOU CHANGE?
1. It’s you that wants to make a change, but it’s also you that’s your biggest obstacle
2. You can’t figure it out by figuring it out
3. Act it out, don’t figure it out
4. Do it with others, not alone
5. Look for a career not a job
6. Look for people that will support you , not hold you back
"To know and not to do is not yet to know." – Buddhist proverb.

4. FINANCIAL MODELLING (it’s not all about Excel !)
The art and science of solving complex
problems both in the past and future.
• Its not just about Accounting & Finance
• It not all about Excel.
• Best Practice Modelling, FAST &
SMART
• Its also about Business and the
underlying logic
• It’s the process and skills of finding that
solution amongst a lot of uncertainty
whilst also dealing to the above.
• Communicate your results succinctly and
be ready to justify it and explain drivers.

5. WHY CHANGE THE JOB/CAREER YOU HAVE TODAY?
Financial Analysts and Advisors are one of the 5 jobs that have
already been taken by computers – according to Fortune Magazine
“Automated services that are replacing personal financial advisers,
financial planners and stockbrokers. Predictive systems, big data, and
computing power combine to provide an idea tool for analyzing and
predicting the behaviour of investments.“
"We are approaching the time when machines will be able to outperform humans at almost any task. Society needs
to confront this question before it is upon us: if machines are capable of doing almost any work humans can do,
what will humans do?“ - Moshe Vardi, a computer science professor at Rice University in Texas
The machines of the Industrial Revolution overcame the
limitations of human muscle, while the robots and artificial
intelligence of today are overcoming the limitations of our
individual minds.” – Business Insider Australia

6. THE MANY FACES OF FINANCIAL MODELLING
Accountant & Auditor
Analytical Review
Reasonableness testing
Valuation modelling
Model audit and testing
Specialist Modeller (Actuary & IB)
Debt & Equity Capital Markets Issuance
Corporate Finance & Advisory
Actuarial & Statistical Predictions
Infrastructure & Property Development
Economic modelling
Financial Markets & Derivatives Quant
Derivatives trader
Market Risk Quantitative Analysis
Finance Partner
Management & Financial Reporting
Forecasting & Planning
Financial analysis of strategic decisions
Acquisition, disposal and restructuring business
Financial Modelling Consultant
Cross industry capability
Training and developing others
Normally has a strength in specific sectors
Business Modelling team (Big 4 Accounting firm)

7. SOME TIPS TO BECOMING AN EXPERT MODELLER?
1. Training (if you haven’t done a course
recently perhaps its time).
2. Try past questions of
www.modeloff.com , compete or
attend one of the upcoming GTC
events.
3. Google, YouTube, Chandoo, Twitter etc
etc…so much more sharing of Excel.
4. Lose the mouse and use shortcuts !
5. Practice, practice, practice.

8. QUESTIONS ?