Chief Financial Officer

Seeking a Chief Financial Officer to lead the financial strategy, performance and long-term financial health of a substantial high-volume retail operation in the UAE.

Reporting directly to the CEO, the CFO will be a central member of the executive leadership team and a trusted adviser to the CEO and Board.

The remit combines strategic finance, capital planning and corporate governance with the operational discipline required in a complex, high-transaction environment. The successful candidate will bring decision-quality insight to the business, strengthen accountability and ensure that funding, risk, controls, reporting and finance capability support sustainable growth.

Role purpose
To provide enterprise-wide financial leadership across strategy, planning, performance, capital structure, governance and business insight, while protecting financial integrity and enabling growth, profitability and long-term shareholder value.

• Principal accountabilities
• Strategy, capital and Board advice
• Develop and implement the financial strategy in line with corporate objectives.
• Advise the CEO and Board on performance, strategic investment, capital allocation, funding and M&A opportunities.
• Optimise capital structure and evaluate strategic options through robust scenario modelling, sensitivity analysis and risk assessment.
• Lead investor relations and capital-markets activity appropriate to the organisation's ownership and future requirements.
• Planning, performance and commercial partnership
• Lead long-range planning, budgeting, forecasting and financial performance management.
• Provide clear commercial insight and partner business units to improve financial discipline, budget accountability and value creation.
• Strengthen cash flow, working capital, cost control and the quality of financial KPIs across the organisation.
• Governance, reporting and regulatory compliance
• Oversee accounting, financial reporting, tax, internal audit, controls, governance and enterprise risk management.
• Ensure full compliance with IFRS and relevant regional financial, tax and regulatory requirements.
• Lead high-quality reporting and communication with the Board, shareholders, auditors, banks, investors and regulatory bodies.
• Design and implement new financial processes in response to regulatory change and recognised best practice.
• Treasury, funding and transformation
• Lead treasury operations, banking relationships, liquidity, funding structures and financial risk management.
• Drive automation, ERP capability and digitisation across finance to improve transparency, speed, accuracy and control.
• Develop, retain and succession-plan a high-performing finance team capable of supporting the organisation's future scale and complexity.

Candidate profile
This is an enterprise CFO appointment. Candidates must demonstrate both technical breadth and a record of influencing commercial and strategic decisions in a major operating business.
Required experience

• At least 15 years of progressive finance leadership, including senior enterprise-level responsibility.
• Substantial experience within retail.
• Finance leadership within an organisation generating $600 million revenue, with evidence of comparable operational complexity and volume.
• Substantial GCC exposure, with strong familiarity with financial, tax and regulatory requirements.
• Full functional depth across FP&A, treasury, governance, investor relations and capital markets, supported by strong reporting, tax, audit and risk capability.
• Direct experience within a listed organisation or an organisation preparing for an IPO.
• A record of managing large finance teams and leading finance transformation.
• Chartered Accountant qualification.
• Leadership and personal attributes
• Commercially minded and able to convert complex financial information into clear decisions and action.
• Credible with the CEO, Board, shareholders, investors, lenders, regulators and senior operating leaders.
• Strong governance, ethics and risk orientation without becoming removed from the commercial agenda.
• Decisive, accountable and comfortable leading change across a complex organisation.
• Able to develop senior talent, establish succession and raise the capability of the wider finance function.

Evidence candidates should be prepared to discuss

• The scale and complexity of the largest organisation for which you held enterprise-wide finance responsibility.
• Regulatory, tax or reporting change you personally led and the outcome achieved.
• Your direct ownership of FP&A, treasury, governance, investor relations and capital-markets activity.
• Listed-company or IPO-stage experience, including Board, audit committee, reporting and investor responsibilities.
• A measurable improvement in cash flow, working capital, cost control, profitability or capital allocation.
• A finance transformation, ERP or automation programme you led and its business impact.
• A strategic investment, funding or M&A decision on which you advised the CEO or Board.
• The size, structure and capability of finance teams you have led and developed.