We believe that being a technically great financial modeller requires a clear understanding of a transaction, an architect’s eye for model structure and a deep knowledge of Excel formulae and functionality. Ingraining these qualities is a key pillar of the structured training and less formal but no less crucial mentoring that we give to younger team members.
But being a good financial modelling partner is about much more than technical ability. It’s about being able to understand stakeholder needs and communicate insights clearly. It’s also, as in many walks of life, about being the kind of person that other people enjoy working with.
We recently engaged in a listening exercise with some of our clients, to better understand their experience of working with us. An independent consultant spoke with counterparties in different roles who interact with us on infrastructure transactions, including lenders, sponsors and financial advisors. Some we have worked with closely over many many years, and others are newer partners to us. This is what we learned from them.
Rigorous
Clients trust Operis modelling to be of the highest quality. Some cited the fact that Operis has won multiple individual and team Financial Modelling World Championships as being particularly reassuring. Others explained that they find Operis-built models stand the test of time – our models are easier to understand and use. Users value the clear inputs interface and easy to read outputs and that the model is tailored to the specific needs of their specific business. The depth of experience and domain specific knowledge that we have in infrastructure financing is important in helping clients feel that their financial modelling needs are in safe hands.
A clear common thread across the conversations was an appreciation that the Operis team ensure that we understand every transaction we see and that we can clearly express that understanding. People like that we can take complicated concepts and explain them clearly and simply without resorting to buzzwords or obfuscation. They find our communications accessible and genuinely useful in aiding their understanding of the story being told by the model. This came through as important regardless of the role we were undertaking – whether we were the financial model auditor, financial model builder or financial advisor.
Reliable
We were very glad to hear how much our clients consider Operis to be a safe pair of hands. We know infrastructure transactions involve a huge number of people with a great many moving parts – the modelling workstream must not become a bottleneck. We ensure we understand timelines, communicate proactively and meet deadlines. Clients know from experience that we will do what we say we will when we say we will. This removes a potential source of stress as a transaction moves towards bid submission or financial close (which are already stressful enough!).
Over the course of Operis’s history we have worked on over 1,600 transactions. Clients trust that our financial modelling expertise and tried and tested processes will result in a sound model which they can base decisions on. Infrastructure transactions are usually valued in millions or billions: there is a lot at stake if modelling errors start creeping in. Therefore our clients really value the risk reduction that Operis’s thorough and intelligent approach brings.
Responsive
Operis clients say they enjoy working with us (and the feeling is mutual!). We like to put faces to names early on, and we build good working relationships as well as great financial models. Many clients have particular Operis employees who they work with year after year on transaction after transaction.
People find us approachable and say that our willingness to jump onto a call is very useful. We do recognise that there are times when a five-minute conversation will save several rounds of email exchanges.
We take a collaborative approach. When auditing we see ourselves in partnership with the modeller rather than in opposition to them, and if there are last minute changes in requirements or timelines our focus is always on what we can do to help.
Why People Choose Operis
For our clients, financial modelling is hugely important to making big business decisions. Those decisions must be based on sound numbers. Because of this they look for world class financial modelling expertise. They choose us because we can provide that and because they enjoy working with us.
Whether it’s a road project in North America, a wind farm in the Middle East or carbon capture in the UK, if it’s infrastructure financing our financial modelling expertise can support lenders, sponsors and advisors to get the best value from their financial models.
If you need financial modelling support – build, audit or advisory – and you would like to join the list of happy Operis clients, please contact James – jjones@operis.com.
And to our existing clients, especially those who took the time to give us your feedback, we appreciate you. Thank you for choosing Operis.
