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You have had an impressive career moving from consulting at Deloitte and KPMG to leading finance teams at fast-growing startups like Careem and now SilkHaus. How did your role evolve as you moved from consulting to the executive level?
It’s been quite a transition. In consulting, you advise on strategy and best practices, but you're not accountable for execution. You don’t deal with execution risks. In an executive role, especially in a startup, you shift to deep process and industry knowledge. You make quick decisions with imperfect data and limited resources. Resilience becomes key—you try one strategy, it doesn’t work, but you adapt and push forward. That’s not something consulting prepares you for.
Your work spans real estate, retail, and corporate development. How do you adapt your financial strategy across different sectors?
Each industry, even each revenue line, works differently. At a fundamental level, a CFO manages revenue and cost structures. But what really matters is identifying the key drivers behind those numbers, which differ dramatically across industries. At Careem, growth depended on repeat usage—more rides meant more revenue. At SilkHaus, it's about transaction value, not frequency. Every sector has unique nuances, and you need to be agile enough to adapt.
CFOs were traditionally seen as gatekeepers, but do you think that role has evolved?
Not just in finance—senior leadership, in general, is moving away from the gatekeeper mindset. CFOs today are collaborative leaders, working across departments to provide data-driven insights rather than just controlling spending.
You don’t always fully grasp another department’s challenges, so an open, data-backed approach helps align everyone toward company goals. When communication is strong, insights become actionable, and execution improves.
When hiring for your finance team, do you prioritise education, experience, or willingness to learn?
The top priority is team dynamics—working with the right people matters most. Next is a growth mindset, as startups require adaptability. Hands-on experience is valuable, but pedigree only matters when choosing between equally strong candidates.
AI and digital transformation are major topics in finance. How do you see these technologies shaping the industry?
AI is streamlining repetitive finance tasks like reporting and reconciliation, making teams more efficient. It enhances predictive analytics, helping us anticipate guest needs, optimize costs, and improve cash flow planning. Real-time reporting is another game-changer, instead of waiting for monthly reports there are instant insights for better forecasting and decision-making.
How do you see finance evolving in the Middle East? And how do you think fintech will continue to impact the finance landscape here?
The UAE is becoming a fintech hub, with strong government support, including regulatory sandboxes for testing new solutions. With $40B in crypto holdings and progressive policies, the region is well-positioned for financial innovation. Despite global economic slowdowns, the UAE always continues to emerge stronger.
Do startups have an edge over larger companies in adopting AI, and how can tech adoption drive growth in a fast-paced startup environment?
Larger companies have an advantage in AI due to their vast data, which improves model accuracy. Startups, however, win on agility—quickly testing, iterating, and pivoting based on results. A strong experimentation culture allows startups to fail fast, learn, and adapt, something big companies struggle with.
