This week’s episode is a treat to all of the excel geeks out there. We are delighted to share the conversation we had with Joseph Lau, the only 2-time Financial Modelling World Champion at the ModelOff competition. We cover many interesting topics, ranging from his experience competing at the ModelOff competition, common mistakes people make in financial modelling, and tips on how to excel (pun intended) at financial modelling. Besides being a World Champion in his spare time, Joseph is a Director of Project Finance at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. He is also a Co-founder of Spreadsheet Advantage, which is an Excel add-in designed to help excel users and developers increase their productivity. Joseph has a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Mathematics, a master’s degree in Applied Finance and a PhD in Pure Math.   The topics discussed include: 03:00 – Joseph’s background 04:50 – Requirements for excelling at financial modelling 05:30 –How Joseph got involved in the ModelOff competition 06:15 – How does the ModelOff competition work 10:30 – Joseph’s preparation to compete 12:00 – Joseph’s experience competing at the ModelOff finals 13:00 – How has become a financial modelling world champion changed Joseph’s career 15:15 – Joseph’s tips on how to excel at financial modelling 17:50 – Areas in finance that requires strong financial modelling knowledge 19:00 – How to correct modelling errors 20:00 – The future of financial modelling 21:30 – How Joseph goes about training people in financial modelling 22:45 – Common mistakes in modelling 25:00 – Why Joseph retired from competing 27:15 – Why was Joseph nicknamed Fine Wine As always, make sure you share the podcast with anyone you think might benefit from the information. And don’t forget to leave us a 5-Star review on iTunes! Find out more at https://www.thewallstreetlab.com/ Luke, Leo & Andy