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UAE finance’s best-kept secret is coming out
Nine senior finance leaders are sharing the things that took them years to learn. Now you can learn from them.
Apply now
Learn from the best people in finance
They’re senior finance leaders from across the UAE. They've built big finance teams, grown into leadership roles themselves, made plenty of calls along the way, and now they're passing on the things they wish they'd learned earlier.
Youssef Salem is the CFO of ADNOC Drilling, the world's largest integrated drilling company, and one of the region's most recognised young finance leaders. A CFA charterholder who began his career in investment banking at Moelis, he has executed billions of dollars in capital raises and M&A across the region. He was featured in Forbes Middle East's 30 Under 30.
Youssef Salem
CFO, ADNOC Drilling
Vulnavia Kombora is VP Finance at Highwave Consultants and a chartered accountant with around 15 years of experience across technology, e-commerce, real estate and financial services. She has previously served as CFO, and specialises in business turnarounds, M&A, and building high-performing finance teams. She is an ACCA member.
Vulnavia Kombora
VP Finance, Highwave Consultants
Paulo Tabarelli Batista runs finance at RAR Holding in Dubai, the close and the board pack and the follow-ups included. Over 15 years across multinationals, private-equity backed businesses and family-owned groups, with transformations in FMCG, retail, e-commerce, telecom and petrochemicals. Operations across five continents and portfolios above $1 billion. He has seen most versions of the job.
Paulo Tabarelli Batista
Group CFO, RAR Holding
Lata Loungani is a chartered accountant (FCCA) who worked her way from finance manager all the way to the C-suite. She speaks fluent strategy, enjoys pulling messy business problems apart, and co-founded She Counts, a thriving women-in-finance community across the UAE. As a mentor, she brings practical wisdom, zero sugar-coating, and someone genuinely invested in helping you figure it out.
Lata Loungani
Group CFO, The Grooming Company Holding
Saad Jahanzeb Khan is the Head of Corporate Finance (Group) at Midas Safety, a global PPE manufacturer, where he leads finance teams across multiple regions. He brings over 20 years of experience in finance, and is a Fellow Chartered Accountant (FCA) who also holds the ACMA and CGMA designations.
Saad Jahanzeb Khan
Head of Corporate Finance (Group), Midas Safety
Jamie O'Mahony is the Group CFO of Property Finder, MENA's leading property portal, where he recently led one of the region's largest technology funding rounds, raising more than $1 billion in combined debt and equity. He was named among the Top 30 GCC CFOs for 2026, after serving as Group CFO of foodpanda across 11 markets with revenues above $1 billion. He is a Chartered Accountant with an MBA from the University of Cambridge.
Jamie O'Mahony
Group CFO, Property Finder
Paul Gyles is the Group CFO of The First Group, the Dubai property and hospitality group, with more than 37 years of finance experience across the UK, the Middle East and Asia. He is a past winner of the Middle East CFO of the Year award, and has held previous CFO roles at Shamal, Meraas and ISG. He is a CIMA Chartered Management Accountant.
Paul Gyles
Group CFO, The First Group
Youssef Afifi is Senior Group Finance Director and Corporate Secretary at Zahrawi Group, one of the region's leading healthcare and medtech companies, where he has led large-scale finance transformations and multi-country operations across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain. He also sits on the audit committee of Tadawul-listed Fourth Milling Company and chairs the audit committee of Raseen Holding. He holds an MBA from Geneva Business School.
Youssef Afifi
Senior Group Finance Director and Corporate Secretary, Zahrawi Group
Waleed Shahnawaz has 15 years of experience in finance leadership across the GCC, North America and Australia, and sits on the ACCA Global Council and the CBC board. He holds ACCA, CPA and CIA qualifications alongside two master's degrees. He mentors by building confidence and sharpening how people read what is coming, so they grow with clarity and disciplined ambition.
Waleed Shahnawaz
Group CFO, Abu Dhabi Marine Holding. Founder, KWX Partners
You’ll know this is for you if...
You’re building a career in finance and starting to think seriously about what comes next.
Maybe you’re an analyst, accountant, finance manager or even an intern. Your title matters less than where you’re trying to get to.
This is not a networking group. You are expected to participate. The program runs for four months, and you’ll work with four mentors, one per month, and spend one evening a month with the full cohort at the Alaan office.
There are 40 places in the cohort, and we’re expecting plenty of interest. It’s a meaningful time commitment, so before applying, make sure you can give it the time it deserves over the four months.
Maybe you’re an analyst, accountant, finance manager or even an intern. Your title matters less than where you’re trying to get to.
This is not a networking group. You are expected to participate. The program runs for four months, and you’ll work with four mentors, one per month, and spend one evening a month with the full cohort at the Alaan office.
There are 40 places in the cohort, and we’re expecting plenty of interest. It’s a meaningful time commitment, so before applying, make sure you can give it the time it deserves over the four months.
9
mentors
16
weeks
∞
growth
Here's how the next four months go
What you'll actually spend 16 weeks on
Each week covers one finance topic. You work through it with your mentor, then apply it to something from your own company.
MONTH 1
See the whole business
Where the money comes from, where it goes, and what's actually driving the numbers.
MONTH 2
Plan and partner
How to plan ahead, and how to work with the people who make the calls.
MONTH 3
Cash and control
Cash, funding, and the checks that stop things from quietly going wrong.
MONTH 4
Lead like a CFO
Move past the finance function. Start sitting in on the conversations that shape the business.
Personal development: grow into the role
Alongside the finance topics, you’ll also work on the things that change as you become more senior. How you communicate, make decisions, build trust, handle difficult conversations, and carry yourself in a room. Because becoming a CFO is also about how you lead.
Frequently asked questions
Does it cost anything?
No. The program is completely free for the selected applicants.
Do I need to prepare a topic?
Not at all. We’ll share a theme and a short assignment before each session, so you’ll always have a sense of what’s coming. Your mentor will bring their experience, and you can bring examples from your own work.
Where do the sessions take place?
You and your mentor can decide what works best. Most sessions will take place in person around Dubai, but you can meet online when that is more practical.
What happens if I miss a session?
Life happens. If you know you can’t make a session, just let us and your mentor know as early as you can. Missing one occasionally is completely understandable, we just ask that you try to show up consistently across the four months.
How do you choose the 40 participants?
Our team will be reading each application. There’s no secret formula. We’re mainly looking for people who are clear about what they want to learn, excited to take part, and able to commit to the program. The more specific and thoughtful your application is, the easier it is for us to understand whether the program is a good fit for you.
What happens if I do not get a place?
We will be sure to let you know either way. And don’t worry, this won’t be the only cohort, so there’ll be more chances to apply in the future.