Chief Financial Officer

The opportunity

ETRA Talent is partnering with a growing institutional brokerage to appoint a Chief Financial Officer based in Dubai or Abu Dhabi. With an expanding global platform and FSRA regulatory obligations, the business is seeking a finance leader who can combine strong financial oversight with the commercial judgement to support its next phase of growth.

This opportunity would suit an established CFO or a Deputy CFO ready to take full ownership of the finance function and step into their first CFO position.

The CFO will lead the finance function, overseeing financial control, regulatory reporting, capital management, budgeting and strategic financial planning. Working closely with senior leadership, the successful candidate will help ensure the business has the financial resources, controls and insight needed to support sustainable international expansion.

• Lead the finance function, maintaining accurate financial reporting, effective controls and clear accountability.
• Oversee the preparation and submission of financial and prudential regulatory returns in line with applicable FSRA requirements.
• Manage capital adequacy, liquidity, cash flow and treasury activities, ensuring appropriate resources and headroom.
• Produce timely management information, forecasts and financial analysis for senior leadership and the Board.
• Lead budgeting, business planning and scenario analysis across the relevant entities and business lines.
• Assess the financial implications of new products, markets and expansion plans.
• Maintain oversight of revenue, costs, profitability and financial exposures within the brokerage business.
• Oversee statutory accounts, external audits and relationships with auditors, banks and other professional advisers.
• Work closely with Risk, Compliance and Operations to strengthen governance and address financial and regulatory risks.
• Oversee applicable tax reporting and compliance, supported by specialist advisers where required.
• Develop finance systems, processes and reporting capabilities as the platform grows.
• Build and develop a finance team appropriate to the scale and complexity of the business.

• A recognised professional accounting qualification, such as ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent.
• Senior finance leadership experience within institutional brokerage, capital markets or a closely related regulated financial services business.
• Experience as a CFO, Deputy CFO, Finance Director or senior Head of Finance with the capability to take on broader responsibility.
• Strong knowledge of financial control, regulatory reporting, capital adequacy and liquidity management.
• Experience of FSRA requirements is highly desirable; candidates with relevant experience in comparable regulatory environments will also be considered.
• An understanding of brokerage revenue models, trading activities and the associated financial and operational risks.
• Experience supporting an international business, ideally across multiple entities or jurisdictions.
• The confidence to engage with senior executives, Boards, auditors and regulators.
• A practical, hands-on approach, combined with the ability to contribute to commercial and strategic decisions.
• Willingness to be based in Dubai or Abu Dhabi.

This is an opportunity to take a senior leadership role within a growing global brokerage, shape the finance function and contribute directly to the development of the business. For a Deputy CFO ready to step up, it offers the scope to assume full CFO responsibility within an institutional capital markets environment.