Global Excel Summit 2026 in London: Takeaways for the Valuation Community
I had the pleasure of attending the Global Excel Summit in London in May as an exhibitor with ValuSource, and I came away energized and more impressed than ever by the Excel community.
For those of us in valuation, Excel isn’t just another software tool. We live and breathe Excel. It’s where our analysis takes shape, our judgment gets tested, and much of our work becomes something clients can understand and trust.
At ValuSource, we have a special appreciation for that. For more than 40 years, we’ve relied heavily on spreadsheets while developing software that helps valuation professionals work more efficiently.
Summit Highlights
The Summit was full of sessions relevant not only to Excel users in general but also to valuation professionals, like “Excel, Python, and AI: What Tools and Skills Will Dominate in the Future?,” “AI-Powered Financial Modeling,” and “The City of London Runs on Excel.” These presentations showed how Excel continues to sit at the center of financial work, while AI, Python, and other tools are expanding what’s possible inside the spreadsheet environment.
The event also brought together a stellar group of Excel MVPs, both from the broader Excel community and from Microsoft itself. It was thrilling to see how these experts are helping financial professionals around the world build better models, analyze data more effectively, and present results more clearly.
One of my favorite moments was meeting the Excel World Champion — I didn’t even know there was one! — and watching an Excel championship live. It was announced as if it were a sporting event, with real energy and excitement. Only at an Excel conference can spreadsheet speed and strategy feel like ESPN.
I also learned more about how formalized financial modeling has become, especially in Europe. For example, the Financial Modeling Institute (FMI) offers a credential in financial modeling, evidence that strong modeling skills are becoming more recognized as a professional discipline.
Meeting other exhibitors was another highlight. PerfectXL has built an application, used by Big Four auditors, that helps professionals audit and trust their spreadsheets. I also enjoyed meeting the team from XelPlus, the Excel resource site run by Leila Gharani that helps train people in Excel all around the world.
Although most of the attendees and presenters weren’t valuation professionals, it was wonderful meeting a handful of international valuators, visiting from Italy to Luxembourg and beyond.
Final Thoughts
My experience at the Summit reinforced something I believe strongly: The future of valuation isn’t about replacing professional expertise; it’s about giving the professionals new and improved tools to leverage their expertise.
I left London optimistic about how Excel is evolving. AI will continue to play a growing role inside Excel, and the professionals who learn how to combine strong judgment with the rapidly evolving tools will be in the best position to serve their clients.
I encourage valuation professionals to plug into the global Excel community — the MVPs, teachers, trainers, and developers — and commit to regularly learning a few new things about Excel. The more we understand what Excel can do, the better we can use it to deliver top-tier valuations.
A few Global Excel Summitt Resources:
Global Excel Summitt www.globalexcelsummit.com
Financial Modeling Institute: https://fminstitute.com/
PerfectXL: https://www.perfectxl.com/
XELPLUS: https://www.xelplus.com/courses/