Training Courses

Financial Modelling for Digital Infrastructure Projects

Data centres, fibre and towers: contracted revenue, build-out and capital. Build a data centre model from scratch in Excel, analysing project viability through cashflow analysis and applying key metrics such as IRR, NPV, power usage effectiveness and capacity utilisation.

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2 daysPractitioner-led
Hands-onYou build the model,
not watch one being built
In person or digitalDelivered in person
and worldwide online
Take awayThe completed model files
and templates

Who this is for

For anyone financing the digital sector

Whether you are a developer, owner, investor or advisor, Financial Modelling for Digital Infrastructure Projects gives you a solid foundation for making informed financial decisions in a fast-growing sector, evaluating data centres, fibre networks and towers.

Working confidence in Excel is assumed; no prior financial modelling course is required. You build a data centre model from scratch across the two days, using the Forvis Mazars modelling methodology.

You will get the most from this course if

You are a developer, owner, investor or advisor evaluating digital infrastructure assets
You need to build a data centre model from scratch, not just review one
You want practical grounding in sector metrics: power usage effectiveness, capacity utilisation and lease commitments
You want a repeatable framework for debt sizing, exit strategy and scenario analysis

What you will learn

Build a data centre model from scratch

Six modules take you from modelling methodology through to a complete, sensitised model, with the sector metrics and financing structures specific to digital infrastructure built in throughout.

Master proven modelling technique

Work with our powerful, easy to follow financial modelling methodology
Discuss and identify good versus bad modelling technique using real-life examples
Learn how to greatly increase consistency across your team in calculation technique and presentation

A robust, scalable model structure

Construction: establish key constants using the full scope of Excel’s range name function, and construct modularised units including debt and equity drawdowns during the development phase
Operations: study capacity calculations and their relationship to energy usage
Review revenue build-up based on capacity revenues, reimbursable power costs, and recurring and non-recurring revenues
Discuss operational expenses, including a focus on the cost of water

Cashflow waterfalls and seniority

Focus on how to calculate cash flow available for debt service
Learn how to lay out line items in an efficient, communicable way
Understand the different types of circular reference and how to avoid them

Debt sculpting and repayment structures

Understand how to effectively model debt sculpting
Build in switches to allow different structures to be rapidly analysed, including capitalising interest
Work on the inclusion of target debt service coverage ratio repayment functionality
Discuss linear and bullet repayment structures in project finance

Portfolio metrics and dividends policy

Discuss the reason for, and impact of, dividends policy on valuations
Integrate internal rate of return and NPV, and understand the role of the discount rate
Learn the differences between NPV and XNPV functions and study common errors in their application
Study key operational metrics such as power usage effectiveness, capacity utilisation and lease commitments

Returns, exit strategy and scenario management

Review exit strategies by flexing key variables such as exit date and exit multiple
Produce data tables for meaningful analysis to present to key stakeholders
Save critical time and deliver rapid analysis with our unique approach to scenario management

Next available dates

Upcoming courses

How the course runs

You learn modelling by modelling

Interactive, instructor-led and built on a single modelling standard that has been taught to more than 20,000 people. You build the model yourself with individual coaching through every exercise, and you keep the completed files.

This course also runs privately: see in-house training for delivery built around your team and sector, or browse the full course portfolio.

Our trainers

Learn from a practitioner

Our courses are led by experienced members of our financial modelling and model audit teams. The trainers below run this course frequently, but your session could be led by any member of our team.

Joshua Grimm

Director, Singapore

Joshua leads the development and delivery of financial modelling training courses for Forvis Mazars in Asia. His expertise covers areas such as project finance modelling for large-scale renewable energy, utilities and infrastructure projects, as well as corporate finance modelling for M&A transactions and internal FP&A. He has supported clients with their projects from feasibility through financial close, all the way to operations.

Hitansh Doda

Director, Sydney

Hitansh is a professional model builder for Forvis Mazars, with extensive experience in financial model building and development across infrastructure finance and other diverse sectors. He focuses on financial modelling and analysis of renewable energy assets and infrastructure projects.

Keshav Rana

Associate Director, London

Keshav is an Associate Director in London, managing the financial modelling training business across EMEA. He is an experienced financial modeller with more than 10 years of financial modelling experience, having worked on global projects in renewables (primarily solar and wind), utilities and telecom, as well as a range of corporate and portfolio forecasting and valuation models. Keshav’s focus now is developing and delivering financial modelling training courses, providing tailor-made courses to meet the needs of clients across an ever-changing landscape in the infrastructure and energy sectors.

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