Chief Financial Officer - Freight Forwarding

Our client is a well-established, Dubai-based freight forwarding and logistics organisation with a strong regional footprint across the GCC and international trade corridors. The company delivers integrated supply chain solutions spanning air, sea, and land freight, supported by a robust network of global partners and a commitment to operational excellence.

They seek a Chief Financial Officer who plays a critical strategic role in steering the organisation’s financial direction, ensuring sustainable growth, and enhancing profitability in a competitive logistics market. Reporting directly to the CEO, the CFO will oversee financial governance, optimise capital structure, and provide commercial insight to support expansion initiatives across the Middle East and beyond.

🔹 Key Responsibilities

Financial Strategy & Leadership

• Lead development and execution of long-term financial strategy aligned with business objectives
• Advise CEO and Board on financial planning, risk management, and growth opportunities
• Drive financial transformation initiatives to enhance efficiency and scalability

Financial Management & Reporting

• Oversee accurate and timely preparation of financial statements and management reports
• Ensure compliance with IFRS and local regulatory requirements across all jurisdictions
• Manage budgeting, forecasting, and variance analysis to support informed decision-making

Commercial & Operational Finance

• Partner with commercial teams to evaluate pricing strategies and contract profitability
• Analyse freight margins, cost structures, and operational KPIs to drive performance improvements
• Support business development initiatives through financial modelling and investment appraisal

Governance, Risk & Compliance

• Establish robust internal controls and financial governance frameworks
• Manage relationships with auditors, banks, and regulatory authorities
• Identify and mitigate financial, operational, and market risks

Cash Flow & Capital Management

• Optimise working capital, cash flow forecasting, and treasury operations
• Oversee funding strategies, banking relationships, and capital allocation decisions
• Ensure efficient management of credit control and receivables within the logistics cycle

🔹 Qualifications & Experience

• Minimum 12–15 years’ experience in finance leadership roles within logistics or freight forwarding
• Proven track record as CFO or Finance Director in a mid-to-large international organisation
• Strong understanding of freight forwarding economics, trade flows, and supply chain finance
• Professional qualification such as ACA, ACCA, CPA, or equivalent required
• Demonstrated experience managing multi-entity, multi-currency financial operations
• Deep knowledge of IFRS, UAE regulatory environment, and regional tax frameworks
• Experience leading finance transformation, ERP implementation, or process optimisation initiatives
• Strong leadership capability with experience managing and developing high-performing finance teams
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, including Board-level reporting and investor engagement
• Fluency in English required; Arabic language capability is advantageous