Financial Forecasting in a VUCA World

In today’s new economy, one of the most daunting realities is the growing atmosphere of volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA), which significantly complicates financial forecasting. Spreadsheet models have traditionally served as the primary tools for finance professionals to apply their expertise in financial management. Moreover, following the recent financial crisis, there has been a steady rise in demand for skilled Financial Modelling professionals. Organizations increasingly require these professionals to strategize and adapt in response to the challenges posed by the VUCA environment.

This Anderson training course will feature:

• Financial Statement Modelling
• CAPEX
• DCF
• Sensitivity Analysis
• Scenario Analysis

By the end of this training course, participants will be able to: 

• Recognise the challenges of VUCA world
• Recognize the purpose of Financial Modelling and Forecasting
• Explain the key steps of Financial Modelling
• Forecast future firm’s performance and Valuation
• Use different planning tools: scenario and sensitivity analysis

This Anderson training course is suitable to a wide range of professionals but will greatly benefit:

• Finance Professionals across the organisation
• Head Office Planning Managers
• Budgeting and Forecasting Teams
• Commercial Managers
• Finance Strategic Business Partners 

This training course will utilise a various of proven learning techniques to ensure maximum understanding, comprehension and retention of the information presented.  This includes a presentation in a highly interactive manner, individual and group activities interspersed throughout the sessions, along with appropriate case studies and video documentaries that will highlight the significant teaching features.

• The Imperatives of a VUCA World: a sound of Financial Modelling
• What is Financial Modelling?
• Defining the Inputs and the Outputs of a Simple Financial Model
• The Financial Modelling Process of More Complex Models
• Excel as a Tool of Modelling: Capabilities and Limitations

• How Financial Models Work
• Collecting and Analyzing Historical Data
• Selecting the Key Forecast Drivers
• Modelling the Income Statement
• Modelling the Balance Sheet
• Modelling Interest and Circular References
• Modelling the Cash Flow Statem

• Designing a Dashboard-like Control Panel
• Basic Statistical Methods Used for Forecasting
• Forecasting Sales: Bottom-up Versus Top-down Forecasting
• Forecasting Costs
• Forecasting CAPEX and Depreciation
• Forecasting Funding Needs

• Valuation Approaches
• Steps for Applying the DCF Method
• Rewriting Financial Statements – Calculation of Free Cash Flows
• Calculating the Weighted Average Cost of Capital
• Estimating the Terminal Value

• One-Dimensional and 2-Dimensional Sensitivity Analysis
• Choosing the Variables to Change
• Modelling Example
• Interpreting the Results
• Scenario Analysis Example

Anderson Certificate of Completion will be provided to delegates who attend and complete the course