Engagement overview
ClientMeridian Group — Dubai-based diversified family conglomerate (4 operating subsidiaries; construction, F&B, real estate, trading).
TriggerPreparing for first consolidated external audit and a potential minority investment; founder-led finance function cannot support either.
Outcome soughtA credible group finance lead to consolidate reporting, stand up FP&A, and make the group audit- and investor-ready within two quarters.
Role requirements — Group CFO
PositionGroup CFO (fractional), reporting to the Chairman and board.
MandateMulti-entity consolidation, IFRS-compliant group reporting, audit readiness, group treasury & FX oversight, and board-grade FP&A.
Scope4 subsidiaries · ~AED 900M combined revenue · 60-person finance organisation across entities.
Required competencies
Must-haveGroup consolidation, IFRS, external-audit liaison, multi-entity ERP, treasury & FX management.
Strongly preferredGCC family-business experience, investor / due-diligence exposure, and a track record standing up FP&A from a founder-led base.
Soft signalsCalm board communicator; comfortable challenging a founder; structured and decisive.
Risk flags
- Tight external-audit deadline — engagement must ramp within 2 weeks.
- Founder may resist formalised controls — change-management risk.
- Multi-entity ERP data quality is uneven across subsidiaries.