Aligning Contracts and Financial Models for Lawyers
This is an unique opportunity to take advantage of David Colver’s (founder and CEO of Operis) more than 30 years of experience in Project Finance!. In this course, David will show how contracts and financial models are directly related and what are the good practices when writing contracts or building/reviewing financial models.
Key Learning Outcomes
Understand the critical links between legal contracts and financial models.
Effectively interpret and analyze financial models from a lawyer's perspective.
Identify key risks and considerations in project finance documentation.
Improve drafting and negotiation of finance-related clauses in contracts.
Course Contents
What a financial model is, and how it relates to the different project agreements
Gain a foundational understanding of financial models in the context of project agreements.
How to define Debt Service Cover Ratios
Learn the precise definitions and calculations of DSCRs.
How to assess debt cover over different periods of time
Understand methodologies for assessing debt coverage across various timeframes.
How to understand the life cycle of project finance transactions
Explore the complete lifecycle of project finance deals from a legal perspective.
Using a hands-on Excel-based approach, you will build a fully integrated model from scratch, incorporating availability payments, construction and operating costs, tax, and debt financing features common in European PPPs.
Using a hands-on Excel-based approach, you will build a fully integrated model from scratch, incorporating availability payments, construction and operating costs, tax, and debt financing features common in US PPPs.
Utilize delta sheets for effective model comparison and change tracking.
Cash flow reconstructions
Understand how to reconstruct and validate cash flow statements.
...and more
Key Learning Outcomes:
Master Operis's unique model review methodology.
Efficiently identify and resolve common modelling errors.
...and more
Duration:
2 Days
Cost:
£1,200
(plus VAT if applicable)
Operis Financial Modelling Training Schedule
Course Details and Upcoming Dates
Generated on: 25/08/2025
Financial Modelling for Solar Energy Projects
By working through a solar project case study, you will get hands-on experience learning and implementing best practice methodologies for financing a solar plant project.
Duration: 4 Days
Cost: £2,400(plus VAT if applicable)
Learning Outcomes:
Build a fully-scoped project finance model for solar energy projects.
Understand and implement advanced debt structuring and sculpting.
Perform comprehensive scenario and sensitivity analysis.
Apply best practices for model auditing and review.
Module Outline:
Core structure & fast nav
Learn efficient navigation and structuring techniques for complex models.
Debt sculpting & covenants
Master the intricacies of debt sculpting and implementing key financial covenants.
Scenario & sensitivity logic
Build robust scenario and sensitivity analysis capabilities into your models.
Audit & optimisation techniques
Discover methods for auditing models for errors and optimizing their performance.
Upcoming Dates & Locations:
Location / Part
Schedule
Delivery
London (Classroom)
8-11 Sep (Full Day)
Classroom
Remote - Part 1: Modelling Techniques
15-18 Sep (Half Day Sessions)
RemoteNote: Remote courses are structured as half-day sessions. Our experience shows this format enhances learner focus and overall training efficiency.
Remote - Part 2: Extended Techniques
29-2 Oct (Half Day Sessions)
RemoteNote: Remote courses are structured as half-day sessions. Our experience shows this format enhances learner focus and overall training efficiency.
Toronto (Classroom)
22-25 Sep (Full Day)
Classroom
London (Classroom)
6-9 Oct (Full Day)
Classroom
Dubai (Classroom)
20-23 Oct (Full Day)
Classroom
Johannesburg (Classroom)
10-13 Nov (Full Day)
Classroom
Remote - Part 1: Modelling Techniques
17-20 Nov (Half Day Sessions)
RemoteNote: Remote courses are structured as half-day sessions. Our experience shows this format enhances learner focus and overall training efficiency.
London (Classroom)
24-27 Nov (Full Day)
Classroom
London (Classroom)
1-4 Dec (Full Day)
Classroom
Remote - Part 2: Extended Techniques
8-11 Dec (Half Day Sessions)
RemoteNote: Remote courses are structured as half-day sessions. Our experience shows this format enhances learner focus and overall training efficiency.
Financial Modelling for Wind Farms Projects
By working through a wind farm project case study, you will get hands-on experience learning and implementing best practice methodologies for financing a wind farm.
Duration: 4 Days
Cost: £2,400(plus VAT if applicable)
Learning Outcomes:
Build a fully-scoped project finance model for wind farms.
Understand and implement advanced debt structuring and sculpting.
Perform comprehensive scenario and sensitivity analysis.
Apply best practices for model auditing and review.
Module Outline:
Core structure & fast nav
Learn efficient navigation and structuring techniques for complex models.
Debt sculpting & covenants
Master the intricacies of debt sculpting and implementing key financial covenants.
Scenario & sensitivity logic
Build robust scenario and sensitivity analysis capabilities into your models.
Audit & optimisation techniques
Discover methods for auditing models for errors and optimizing their performance.
Upcoming Dates & Locations:
Location / Part
Schedule
Delivery
London (Classroom)
8-11 Sep (Full Day)
Classroom
Remote - Part 1: Modelling Techniques
15-18 Sep (Half Day Sessions)
RemoteNote: Remote courses are structured as half-day sessions. Our experience shows this format enhances learner focus and overall training efficiency.
Remote - Part 2: Extended Techniques
29-2 Oct (Half Day Sessions)
RemoteNote: Remote courses are structured as half-day sessions. Our experience shows this format enhances learner focus and overall training efficiency.
Toronto (Classroom)
22-25 Sep (Full Day)
Classroom
London (Classroom)
6-9 Oct (Full Day)
Classroom
Dubai (Classroom)
20-23 Oct (Full Day)
Classroom
Johannesburg (Classroom)
10-13 Nov (Full Day)
Classroom
Remote - Part 1: Modelling Techniques
17-20 Nov (Half Day Sessions)
RemoteNote: Remote courses are structured as half-day sessions. Our experience shows this format enhances learner focus and overall training efficiency.
London (Classroom)
24-27 Nov (Full Day)
Classroom
London (Classroom)
1-4 Dec (Full Day)
Classroom
Remote - Part 2: Extended Techniques
8-11 Dec (Half Day Sessions)
RemoteNote: Remote courses are structured as half-day sessions. Our experience shows this format enhances learner focus and overall training efficiency.
Financial Modelling for Oil & Gas Projects
By working through an Oil and/or gas project case study, you will get hands-on experience learning and implementing best practice methodologies for financing an oil and/or gas field.
Duration: 4 Days
Cost: £2,400(plus VAT if applicable)
Learning Outcomes:
Build a fully-scoped project finance model for natural resources projects.
Understand and implement advanced debt structuring and sculpting.
Perform comprehensive scenario and sensitivity analysis.
Apply best practices for model auditing and review.
Module Outline:
Core structure & fast nav
Learn efficient navigation and structuring techniques for complex models.
Debt sculpting & covenants
Master the intricacies of debt sculpting and implementing key financial covenants.
Scenario & sensitivity logic
Build robust scenario and sensitivity analysis capabilities into your models.
Audit & optimisation techniques
Discover methods for auditing models for errors and optimizing their performance.
Upcoming Dates & Locations:
Location / Part
Schedule
Delivery
London (Classroom)
8-11 Sep (Full Day)
Classroom
Remote - Part 1: Modelling Techniques
15-18 Sep (Half Day Sessions)
RemoteNote: Remote courses are structured as half-day sessions. Our experience shows this format enhances learner focus and overall training efficiency.
Remote - Part 2: Extended Techniques
29-2 Oct (Half Day Sessions)
RemoteNote: Remote courses are structured as half-day sessions. Our experience shows this format enhances learner focus and overall training efficiency.
Toronto (Classroom)
22-25 Sep (Full Day)
Classroom
London (Classroom)
6-9 Oct (Full Day)
Classroom
Dubai (Classroom)
20-23 Oct (Full Day)
Classroom
Johannesburg (Classroom)
10-13 Nov (Full Day)
Classroom
Remote - Part 1: Modelling Techniques
17-20 Nov (Half Day Sessions)
RemoteNote: Remote courses are structured as half-day sessions. Our experience shows this format enhances learner focus and overall training efficiency.
London (Classroom)
24-27 Nov (Full Day)
Classroom
London (Classroom)
1-4 Dec (Full Day)
Classroom
Remote - Part 2: Extended Techniques
8-11 Dec (Half Day Sessions)
RemoteNote: Remote courses are structured as half-day sessions. Our experience shows this format enhances learner focus and overall training efficiency.
Financial Modelling for European PPP Projects
Using a hands-on Excel-based approach, you will build a fully integrated model from scratch, incorporating availability payments, construction and operating costs, tax, and debt financing features common in European PPPs.
Duration: 4 Days
Cost: £2,400(plus VAT if applicable)
Learning Outcomes:
Build a fully-scoped PPP model.
Understand and implement advanced debt structuring and sculpting.
Perform comprehensive scenario and sensitivity analysis.
Apply best practices for model auditing and review.
Module Outline:
Project timing and period structure
Modelling construction, concession, and operational phases.
Availability payments and revenue indexing
Learn CPI and BMI escalation mechanisms.
Operating costs and inflation linkage
Understand Real vs nominal treatments.
Fixed assets and capital expenditure
Model construction costs, lifecycle capex, and depreciation.
Tax modelling
Understand Sales tax, capital allowances, tax losses, deferred tax.
Debt financing
Modelling senior and subordinated debt structures, drawdowns, repayments, interest.
Debt service ratios
Learn to to correctly calculate ADSCR, LLCR and PLCR.
Sensitivity and scenario analysis
Including pricing tools for automated bid adjustments.
Upcoming Dates & Locations:
Location / Part
Schedule
Delivery
London (Classroom)
To be Scheduled (Full Day)
Classroom
Financial Modelling for US P3 Projects
Using a hands-on Excel-based approach, you will build a fully integrated model from scratch, incorporating availability payments, construction and operating costs, tax, and debt financing features common in US PPPs.
Duration: 4 Days
Cost: £2,400(plus VAT if applicable)
Learning Outcomes:
Build a fully-scoped P3 model.
Understand and implement advanced debt structuring and sculpting.
Perform comprehensive scenario and sensitivity analysis.
Apply best practices for model auditing and review.
Module Outline:
Project timing and period structure
Modelling construction, concession, and operational phases.
Availability payments and revenue indexing
Learn CPI and BMI escalation mechanisms.
Operating costs and inflation linkage
Understand Real vs nominal treatments.
Fixed assets and capital expenditure
Model construction costs, lifecycle capex, and depreciation.
Tax modelling
Understand Sales tax, capital allowances, tax losses, deferred tax.
Debt financing
Modelling senior and subordinated debt structures, drawdowns, repayments, interest.
Debt service ratios
Learn to to correctly calculate ADSCR, LLCR and PLCR.
Sensitivity and scenario analysis
Including pricing tools for automated bid adjustments.
Upcoming Dates & Locations:
Location / Part
Schedule
Delivery
London (Classroom)
To be Scheduled (Full Day)
Classroom
Financial Model Assessment and Review
Learn the unique and award-winning Operis' method to review financial models with maximum efficiency.
Duration: 2 Days
Cost: £1,200(plus VAT if applicable)
Learning Outcomes:
Master Operis's unique model review methodology.
Efficiently identify and resolve common modelling errors.
Conduct thorough cash flow reconstructions and validation.
Perform advanced sensitivity and scenario analysis for review purposes.
Module Outline:
Delta Sheets
Utilize delta sheets for effective model comparison and change tracking.
Cash flow reconstructions
Understand how to reconstruct and validate cash flow statements.
Single-cell reconstruction techniques
Apply techniques for focused validation of individual model cells.
Inclusion analysis for ratios checking (from NPV to IRRs and DSCRs)
Perform thorough checks on key financial ratios and metrics.
Run sensitivities tracking the impact across the entire model
Analyze the impact of sensitivities on all relevant model outputs.
Upcoming Dates & Locations:
Location / Part
Schedule
Delivery
London (Classroom)
30–31 Oct (Full Day)
Classroom
Aligning Contracts and Financial Models for Lawyers
This is an unique opportunity to take advantage of David Colver’s (founder and CEO of Operis) more than 30 years of experience in Project Finance!. In this course, David will show how contracts and financial models are directly related and what are the good practices when writing contracts or building/reviewing financial models.
Duration: 1 Day
Cost: £3,200(plus VAT if applicable)
Learning Outcomes:
Understand the critical links between legal contracts and financial models.
Effectively interpret and analyze financial models from a lawyer's perspective.
Identify key risks and considerations in project finance documentation.
Improve drafting and negotiation of finance-related clauses in contracts.
Module Outline:
What a financial model is, and how it relates to the different project agreements
Gain a foundational understanding of financial models in the context of project agreements.
How to define Debt Service Cover Ratios
Learn the precise definitions and calculations of DSCRs.
How to assess debt cover over different periods of time
Understand methodologies for assessing debt coverage across various timeframes.
How to understand the life cycle of project finance transactions
Explore the complete lifecycle of project finance deals from a legal perspective.
Upcoming Dates & Locations:
Location / Part
Schedule
Delivery
London (Classroom)
13 Oct (Full Day)
Classroom
London (Classroom)
24 Nov (Full Day)
Classroom
Spreadsheet Modelling for Public Sector
This course was developed in consultation with key government departments, expanding on the principles outlined in the HMT Aqua book (2015).
Duration: 2 Days
Cost: £1,200(plus VAT if applicable)
Learning Outcomes:
Apply HMT Aqua Book principles to public sector financial models.
Develop robust and transparent models for public projects and PFI/PPP schemes.
Master techniques for managing complex calculations and scenarios.
Enhance model auditing and validation skills for public sector applications.
Module Outline:
Develop and use consistent range names
Implement best practices for naming ranges to improve model clarity.
Use switches, masks and flags to simplify logic
Employ advanced techniques to manage complex logic within models.
Implement corkscrew structures
Build and understand corkscrew structures for debt and equity accounts.
Explore alternative solutions to circular references
Learn methods to resolve or avoid circular references in models.
Build different types of checks (financial, structural and risk factors)
Incorporate comprehensive checks to ensure model accuracy and integrity.
No upcoming dates currently scheduled for this course.
Excel VBA for Project Finance Models
Unlock the power of Excel VBA to automate routine tasks and create custom functions in your project finance models. This intensive 1-day course provides a practical foundation in VBA essentials, enabling you to enhance model efficiency and sophistication.
Duration: 1 Day
Cost: £1,200(plus VAT if applicable)
Learning Outcomes:
Automate repetitive Excel tasks using VBA macros.
Create custom functions (UDFs) to extend Excel's capabilities.
Understand VBA syntax, control structures, and object model basics.
Improve the efficiency and sophistication of your project finance models.
Module Outline:
VBA Essentials & Developer Environment Setup
Get started with the VBA editor and understand fundamental concepts.
Core Programming Concepts: Variables & Control Structures
Learn about variables, data types, loops, and conditional logic in VBA.
Interacting with Excel: Objects, Properties & Methods
Understand how to manipulate Excel objects like ranges, worksheets, and workbooks using VBA.
Building Custom Functions (UDFs) for Model Efficiency
Create your own user-defined functions to simplify complex calculations.
Automating Tasks with Macros & Basic Error Handling
Record and write macros to automate repetitive tasks and learn basic error handling.
Upcoming Dates & Locations:
Location / Part
Schedule
Delivery
Remote
To be Scheduled (Half Day Sessions)
RemoteNote: Remote courses are structured as half-day sessions. Our experience shows this format enhances learner focus and overall training efficiency.
