The Company

Our client is an established, privately held and diversified UAE business group with a substantial portfolio of businesses and investments spanning several core industries. As the Group continues to expand and evolve, it is focused on strengthening its financial infrastructure, enhancing corporate governance and establishing a more integrated approach to financial management across its operating businesses. The Group is seeking to appoint an accomplished Group Chief Financial Officer to play a pivotal role in supporting its continued growth, transformation and long-term strategic ambitions.

The Role

Reporting directly to the Group CEO and working closely with shareholders, the Group CFO will provide strategic financial leadership and oversight across the organisation's diversified portfolio of businesses, investments and joint ventures. The successful candidate will be responsible for driving financial strategy, strengthening governance, optimising capital allocation and establishing a consolidated view of financial performance across the Group. A key aspect of the role will involve leading and coordinating the existing CFOs and finance heads of the operating businesses, ensuring consistency, accountability and effective financial oversight while maintaining commercial autonomy at subsidiary level. The Group CFO will also play a central role in the ongoing transformation of the finance function, including the implementation of integrated financial systems, enhancement of reporting capabilities and development of a scalable financial operating model.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic financial leadership and act as a trusted adviser to the Group CEO and shareholders on financial strategy, business performance and capital allocation.
• Lead and oversee subsidiary CFOs and finance teams, establishing clear accountability, consistent reporting standards and effective financial governance.
• Drive the consolidation of financial information across the Group's operating businesses, investments, SPVs and joint ventures.
• Lead group-wide budgeting, forecasting, financial planning and performance management.
• Spearhead finance transformation initiatives, including ERP implementation, systems integration and improvements to financial reporting and processes.
• Oversee treasury, liquidity management, banking relationships, financing arrangements and capital structure optimisation.
• Provide financial leadership on acquisitions, investments, joint ventures and strategic growth opportunities, including financial due diligence, valuation and transaction structuring.
• Strengthen financial governance, internal controls, tax compliance and risk management across the Group.
• Partner with subsidiary leadership teams to enhance profitability, cash generation, working capital efficiency and investment returns.
• Develop and strengthen the Group finance function, ensuring it has the leadership, capabilities and infrastructure required to support future growth.

The Candidate

The ideal candidate will be a commercially astute and strategically minded finance executive with a proven track record of financial leadership within a complex, diversified business environment.

Key requirements include:

• Significant experience as a Group CFO, Divisional CFO or senior finance executive within a substantial, multi-entity organisation.
• A strong track record within diversified business groups, ideally in a privately held or family-owned environment.
• Demonstrable experience leading multiple CFOs and senior finance teams across different business units or subsidiaries.
• Extensive expertise in group consolidation, financial reporting, treasury, capital management and corporate governance.
• Proven experience leading finance transformation programmes, including ERP implementation and financial systems integration.
• Strong exposure to mergers and acquisitions, investments, joint ventures and complex corporate structures.
• Excellent commercial acumen, strategic thinking and the ability to influence senior executives, Boards and shareholders.
• Strong leadership capabilities, with the ability to drive accountability, organisational change and financial performance across a diverse portfolio.
• A recognised professional accounting qualification such as ACA, ACCA, CPA or equivalent.
• Previous experience within the UAE or wider GCC is highly desirable, with exposure to real estate, investments, healthcare or industrial businesses considered advantageous.

This is an excellent opportunity for an established finance leader to take on a high-impact executive role within a growing and diversified business group, contributing directly to its financial strategy, organisational transformation and long-term value creation.

For a confidential discussion, please get in touch directly or apply through the advertised position.