In 1999 Mike left KPMG to fulfil a longstanding ambition to travel around the world. On his return to the UK in 2000 he then set up his own financial modelling consultancy, TheModelAnswer.

You can download a printable version of Mike’s CV in MS Word 6.0 format (right-click then click on ‘Save Target As’ or ‘Save Link As’).

• Trading terms evaluation
• Pricing decision support
• Transport franchise bid
• Power generation industry
• Debt restructuring
• Payroll and tax grossing-up
• Lease evaluation and rental adjustment
• Management accounting and consolidation

Trading terms evaluation

A trading terms model for a leading food and confectionery manufacturer. The model enabled the client to see the real cost of its trading terms with different distributors and retailers, and to evaluate the effect of proposed new terms.

Pricing decision support

A model which simulated the process by which pricing decisions were taken at a leading hardware manufacturer. The model enabled the company to implement a pan-European pricing strategy which eliminated cross-border pricing anomalies and improved overall profitability.

Transport franchise bid

An investment appraisal model for a company bidding to acquire a passenger rail franchise. The model incorporated the contractual terms of the franchise and generated a set of projected financial statements plus calculations of discounted net present value. Printouts from the model formed part of the final franchise bid submission.

Power generation industry

A large multiple-file model of the UK electricity generation industry, which Mike partly rewrote, developing a set of transparent interface routines and replacing some of the calculations with C code. This reduced the run-time from about 30 minutes to about 5 minutes.

Debt restructuring

A spreadsheet representation of a complex legal document representing a major debt restructuring agreement for a consortium of banks in the Middle East. The model provided assistance in finalising the terms of the agreement, and was then used as an operational system to calculate the allocation of repayments under the agreement.

Payroll and tax grossing-up

A spreadsheet-based payroll system for expatriate staff of a major Japanese conglomerate. The system involved calculation of net pay from rules and tables, grossing up for UK tax, and production of payroll and internal accounting documentation.

Lease evaluation and rental adjustment

A complex model to demonstrate the financial effects of certain back-to-back lease and hire purchase transactions entered into by an international mining company. The model provided for various methods of evaluation and for automatic calculation of lease rental adjustments, and it was used as evidence in legal proceedings.

Management accounting and consolidation

A computerised management accounting system for the retail operation of a major car importer, with two levels of automatic consolidation.

• Planning and valuation model
• Corporate restructuring model
• Investment appraisal workshop
• Rail transport model (in PC Express)
• Executive information system (in Holos)
• Multi-dimensional planning model (in Holos and C)

Planning and valuation model

Mike managed the development of a group planning model for a mining group with interests in a number of countries. The model represented both the operating characteristics of various mines and the financing and taxation positions in the relevant countries, and it provided a report of the overall consolidated results. It enabled senior management to assess the group’s cash requirements in the medium to long term, and to determine a valuation for the purpose of raising external finance.

Corporate restructuring model

For a series of proposed acquisitions and divestments by a major manufacturer, Mike managed the review of the client’s forecasting models. Because of the extreme complexity of the client’s models, Mike initiated and managed the development of a simplified model, which continued to be used throughout the series of transactions.

Investment appraisal workshop

For a large power generator, Mike managed a project to define the business issues and financial modelling requirements around a proposed overseas investment. He organised and facilitated a workshop attended by key decision makers which enabled them to reach agreement on the issues to be modelled. The results of the workshop were then translated into a model specification.

Rail transport model (in PC Express)

Mike designed the architecture of a high-level multi-dimensional financial model for use by several organisations involved in the rail network privatisation. This model comprised a number of integrated modules representing the various organisations involved, enabling users to assess the effect of different options on the privatisation as a whole. Mike also led the project team in developing and rolling out the model.

Executive information system (in Holos)

In delivering a multi-dimensional Executive Information System for a major professional firm, Mike’s responsibilities involved designing a large and highly complex set of data structures, and fronting them with a simple and intuitive navigation and reporting interface. Mike went on to lead the project team which developed and implemented the system on time and within budget.

Multi-dimensional planning model (in Holos and C)

This was a complex multi-dimensional ten year planning model for a major power generation utility, using linear programming optimisation techniques. Mike researched and validated a method of combining linear programming with iterative approximation, which considerably shortened model run times without significant loss of accuracy. Mike then led the project team which developed the model, involving both client staff and outside contractors.

Mike’s other interests include community mediation, travel, walking, cycling, alternative therapies, performance art and unicycling.

Mike has conversational French and Spanish and some German. In addtion to his travels in 1999-2000, he has worked in Bahrain, Kuwait and the USA.