GROUP CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER (GROUP CFO)

GROUP CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER (GROUP CFO)
Organization:
Confidential Leading Manufacturing & Industrial Group
Executive Search Conducted Through Scovai

Location:
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
On-site Executive Appointment

Employment Type:
Permanent | Full-Time

Position Level:
C-Suite Executive Leadership / Group-Level Financial Management

Compensation:

• Annual Base Salary: AED 1,000,000 – AED 1,100,000
• Indicative Monthly Equivalent: AED 83,333 – AED 91,667
• Annual Executive Performance Bonus: Subject to negotiation and performance arrangements
• Long-Term Executive Incentive Programme: Subject to employer approval
• Potential Equity or Deferred Incentive Participation: Subject to the group's remuneration structure
• Executive Pension or Retirement Arrangements: Subject to the employment contract
• Comprehensive Executive Benefits: To be established during the offer and contract stage

Total Indicative Annual Base Compensation:

AED 1,000,000 – AED 1,100,000, excluding any additional incentives or benefits.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Group Chief Financial Officer will provide strategic financial leadership across a diversified manufacturing and industrial organisation headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The appointment comes at an important stage in the group's development, with a mandate focused on financial transformation, corporate restructuring, operational optimisation, capital management and long-term enterprise value creation.

The successful executive will work closely with the Group CEO, Board of Directors, shareholders, financial institutions, lenders, regulators and external stakeholders to strengthen the group's financial position and support its strategic objectives.

This position extends beyond conventional financial reporting and accounting responsibilities. It requires a commercially minded finance leader capable of directing financial restructuring, optimising capital allocation, strengthening liquidity, improving profitability and supporting strategic business expansion.

The Group CFO will assume responsibility for the overall financial architecture of the organisation, including treasury, financial planning and analysis, corporate finance, taxation, financial reporting, audit, internal controls, investment evaluation and financial transformation.

The successful candidate will also play an important role in strengthening relationships with banks, investors and other financial stakeholders while supporting potential capital market transactions, fundraising activities, mergers and acquisitions, and business portfolio optimisation.

The appointment represents an opportunity to move into a permanent group-level C-suite leadership position with broader organisational responsibility, strategic influence and direct involvement in major corporate decisions.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. GROUP FINANCIAL STRATEGY & EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP

• Develop and execute the group's overall financial strategy in alignment with corporate objectives and long-term business priorities.

• Serve as the principal financial advisor to the Group CEO and Board of Directors.

• Provide strategic recommendations on business performance, financial sustainability, investment priorities and capital allocation.

• Oversee financial performance across the group's business units, subsidiaries and operating divisions.

• Translate corporate objectives into measurable financial targets, operating budgets and performance indicators.

• Establish robust financial governance structures and executive reporting frameworks.

• Lead and develop a high-performing group finance organisation.

• Strengthen financial accountability, transparency and performance management across the organisation.

1. FINANCIAL RESTRUCTURING & BUSINESS TRANSFORMATION

• Lead group-wide financial restructuring and transformation programmes.

• Evaluate the existing financial architecture and identify opportunities to improve operational and financial performance.

• Direct balance sheet optimisation, entity rationalisation and financial restructuring initiatives.

• Develop strategies to improve profitability, strengthen liquidity and reduce financial exposure.

• Oversee financial transformation programmes across the group's operating entities.

• Identify opportunities for cost optimisation, process automation and operational efficiency.

• Strengthen financial controls and reporting systems across the organisation.

• Support organisational transformation initiatives through financial modelling, scenario analysis and strategic recommendations.

1. CORPORATE FINANCE & CAPITAL STRUCTURE MANAGEMENT

• Develop and implement capital structure strategies that support the group's long-term financial objectives.

• Evaluate funding requirements and identify appropriate sources of capital.

• Lead financial discussions and negotiations with commercial banks, institutional lenders and other financing partners.

• Oversee refinancing initiatives, debt restructuring and covenant management.

• Evaluate financing alternatives and assess their impact on liquidity, profitability and shareholder value.

• Support the development of funding strategies involving private equity, institutional investors, sovereign wealth funds and strategic financing partners.

• Monitor financial leverage, borrowing costs and capital efficiency.

• Provide the Board with recommendations on capital deployment and financing decisions.

1. TREASURY, LIQUIDITY & WORKING CAPITAL MANAGEMENT

• Oversee group-wide treasury operations and liquidity management.

• Develop cash preservation strategies and comprehensive liquidity forecasting models.

• Establish disciplined working capital management frameworks.

• Monitor cash conversion cycles, receivables, payables and inventory financing requirements.

• Optimise banking arrangements and financial risk management practices.

• Strengthen foreign exchange and interest rate risk management.

• Develop cash flow reporting systems that support timely executive decision-making.

• Identify opportunities to improve cash generation and reduce unnecessary working capital requirements.

1. FINANCIAL PLANNING, BUDGETING & PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT

• Lead the development of annual budgets, long-term financial plans and rolling forecasts.

• Establish financial models to evaluate business performance and strategic alternatives.

• Monitor revenue, operating expenditure, gross margins, EBITDA and cash flow performance.

• Develop management dashboards and financial performance reporting systems.

• Introduce structured variance analysis and corrective action frameworks.

• Support business unit leaders in achieving agreed financial and operational targets.

• Conduct financial sensitivity analysis to assess market, operational and economic risks.

• Present periodic financial performance reports to the CEO and Board.

1. MERGERS, ACQUISITIONS & STRATEGIC INVESTMENT

• Identify and evaluate potential mergers, acquisitions and strategic investment opportunities.

• Lead financial due diligence and valuation exercises for prospective transactions.

• Assess the financial viability and strategic value of potential acquisitions.

• Support transaction structuring and negotiations with external stakeholders.

• Oversee financial integration planning following completed acquisitions.

• Evaluate opportunities for portfolio rationalisation and business optimisation.

• Advise the Board on investment returns, transaction risks and capital requirements.

• Support the development of long-term investment and expansion strategies.

1. CAPITAL MARKETS, FUNDRAISING & INVESTOR RELATIONS

• Support potential IPO readiness, equity fundraising and other capital market transactions.

• Develop relationships with institutional investors, private equity firms and financial partners.

• Coordinate financial information and transaction documentation for capital-raising activities.

• Support discussions involving rights issues, equity investments and structured financing.

• Strengthen investor confidence through transparent financial reporting and governance.

• Evaluate opportunities to attract additional institutional capital.

• Ensure financial information is accurate, consistent and suitable for senior stakeholder review.

1. FINANCIAL GOVERNANCE, RISK & REGULATORY COMPLIANCE

• Oversee group-wide accounting, taxation, financial reporting and external audit activities.

• Maintain effective internal control frameworks and financial risk management systems.

• Ensure compliance with applicable UAE and international financial reporting requirements.

• Oversee tax planning and statutory reporting obligations.

• Strengthen financial governance across subsidiaries and operating divisions.

• Coordinate external audit engagements and regulatory financial reviews.

• Establish procedures to identify, monitor and mitigate financial risks.

• Support the Board in maintaining appropriate corporate governance standards.

1. DIGITAL FINANCE TRANSFORMATION & ERP MODERNISATION

• Lead the modernisation of the group's finance systems and reporting infrastructure.

• Oversee ERP implementation, integration and optimisation initiatives.

• Introduce automation across accounting, treasury and financial reporting processes.

• Strengthen financial data quality and reporting accuracy.

• Implement advanced management dashboards and business intelligence solutions.

• Improve financial close processes and consolidation across business entities.

• Ensure finance technology investments support the group's strategic and operational requirements.

1. INDUSTRIAL & OPERATIONAL FINANCE LEADERSHIP

• Provide financial oversight across manufacturing and industrial operations.

• Work with operational leadership to improve production economics and cost efficiency.

• Evaluate manufacturing costs, supply chain expenditure and operational margins.

• Support capital expenditure planning and major industrial investment decisions.

• Develop financial models for production expansion and operational improvement.

• Monitor return on invested capital and operational profitability.

• Identify opportunities to improve asset utilisation and financial performance.

STRATEGIC ADVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

The Group CFO will work closely with the CEO and Board regarding:

• Group-wide financial transformation.

• Corporate restructuring and turnaround strategy.

• Capital structure optimisation and financing strategy.

• Liquidity preservation and working capital improvement.

• Mergers, acquisitions and investment evaluation.

• Institutional fundraising and capital market readiness.

• Financial governance and enterprise risk management.

• Operational efficiency and profitability improvement.

• Digital finance transformation and ERP modernisation.

• Long-term shareholder value creation.

EXECUTIVE GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE

Primary Reporting Relationship:

• Group Chief Executive Officer.

• Group Board of Directors.

Key Executive Relationships:

• Group Chief Operating Officer.

• Managing Directors of Business Units.

• Group Heads of Operations.

• Group Head of Treasury.

• Group Financial Controllers.

• Head of Corporate Development.

• Legal, Compliance and Risk Leadership.

• External Auditors and Financial Advisors.

Board-Level Participation:

• Group Financial Strategy Meetings.

• Annual Budget and Corporate Planning Sessions.

• Capital Allocation and Investment Reviews.

• Financial Restructuring and Transformation Meetings.

• Corporate Risk and Governance Reviews.

• Acquisition and Strategic Investment Assessments.

• Executive Performance and Financial Reporting Reviews.

CANDIDATE PROFILE

Required Qualifications:

• A recognised postgraduate or professional qualification in finance, accounting, business administration or a related discipline.

• At least one of the following mandatory qualifications: MBA, US CPA or CFA.

• Extensive experience in senior finance leadership, corporate finance or financial management.

• Proven experience overseeing complex financial operations within large or multi-entity organisations.

• Strong understanding of financial restructuring, capital management, liquidity and working capital optimisation.

• Demonstrated ability to engage with CEOs, boards, lenders and institutional stakeholders.

• Strong knowledge of financial planning, budgeting, forecasting and management reporting.

Preferred Experience:

• Previous experience as Group CFO, CFO, Finance Director or equivalent senior finance executive.

• Experience leading financial transformation in manufacturing, industrial or diversified business groups.

• Exposure to MENA cross-border capital markets and institutional financing.

• Experience with syndicated debt, lender negotiations and refinancing.

• Experience in mergers and acquisitions, financial due diligence and post-acquisition integration.

• Experience in fundraising and capital sourcing.

• Strong exposure to ERP implementation and digital finance transformation.

• Knowledge of UAE/GCC regulatory requirements and ESG reporting frameworks.

• Experience managing multinational finance teams and cross-border operations.

EXECUTIVE BENEFITS

The following benefits are recommended negotiation priorities. They are not individually confirmed in the public vacancy and would need to be agreed with the employer.

1. FINANCIAL & EXECUTIVE REMUNERATION

• Annual Executive Base Salary of AED 1,000,000 – AED 1,100,000.

• Negotiable Annual Performance-Based Bonus.

• Long-Term Executive Incentive Programme.

• Potential Equity or Deferred Compensation Participation.

• Executive Retirement or Pension Arrangements, subject to the contract.

• Annual Executive Compensation Review.

1. HEALTH & PERSONAL PROTECTION

• Comprehensive International Private Medical Insurance.

• Family Medical Coverage.

• Private Dental and Optical Coverage.

• Executive Life Insurance.

• Long-Term Disability and Income Protection.

1. EXECUTIVE & PROFESSIONAL BENEFITS

• Executive Vehicle or Transportation Allowance.

• Housing or Accommodation Allowance, subject to negotiation.

• Business-Class International Travel for qualifying business engagements.

• Annual Executive Leave Entitlement.

• Executive Education and Leadership Development Sponsorship.

• Professional Membership and Relevant Certification Support.

1. ADDITIONAL EXECUTIVE BENEFITS

• International Business Travel and Expense Coverage.

• Executive Administrative Support.

• Relocation Assistance, where applicable.

• Family Relocation Support, where applicable.

• Annual Executive Performance Review.

• Strategic Networking and Industry Engagement Opportunities.

• Professional Indemnity Protection, where applicable.

All additional benefits and incentives would remain subject to the employer's approved remuneration structure and the final employment agreement.

SEARCH PRIORITY

This executive mandate is being conducted on behalf of a confidential manufacturing and industrial group headquartered in Dubai.

The organisation is seeking a commercially focused financial leader capable of taking responsibility for enterprise-wide financial transformation, restructuring, capital optimisation and sustainable business growth.

The search places particular emphasis on executives with experience in:

• Large-scale financial restructuring and business transformation.

• Complex multi-entity financial management.

• Capital structure optimisation and institutional financing.

• Mergers, acquisitions and strategic investment.

• Treasury, liquidity and working capital management.

• Digital finance transformation and ERP modernisation.

• Board-level financial reporting and executive advisory.

Based on your documented experience, several aspects of your background are particularly relevant.

Your work on the AED 2.5 billion Salik post-IPO finance redesign demonstrates exposure to listed-company governance, investor reporting and board-level financial planning.

Your leadership across a $500M+ retail group, including AED 5.5 million in treasury savings and a 50% reduction in the cash cycle, provides relevant evidence of financial performance improvement and liquidity management.

Furthermore, your experience supporting the $3.3 billion Block 6 oil and gas operation, managing a $250M+ infrastructure portfolio and delivering ERP transformation across 12 countries demonstrates the international scope and operational complexity relevant to this appointment.

Your MBA also meets one of the position's stated mandatory qualification pathways.

The opportunity would represent a progression into a permanent Group CFO position, with direct responsibility for the financial direction of a major industrial organisation and closer involvement in corporate restructuring, investment decisions, capital sourcing and board-level strategy.

The role does, however, place additional emphasis on industrial turnaround, syndicated financing, M&A execution and capital raising. These areas would be important to explore further during the assessment process.