Fractional executive search

A Chief Financial Officer, for exactly as long as the numbers demand

Senior financial leadership embedded in your business: cash flow under control, the board well informed, and a funding round properly prepared. A fractional Chief Financial Officer (CFO) brings all of it, without the full-time cost.

350+Vetted leaders
30–60%Vs full time
2–3 weeksTo embed
A senior finance executive reviewing figures in a calm Dubai boardroom
Proven leadership

Our fractional CFOs have owned the numbers at

Emirates NBD
First Abu Dhabi Bank
Mubadala
Mashreq
Goldman Sachs
HSBC
PwC
KPMG
When it matters

When a chief financial officer is the right call

A fractional CFO earns their place at a specific moment. You usually know which one you are in.

01

When a funding round is coming

Investor-ready model, clean data room, and a narrative that survives diligence. The CFO runs the process alongside you.

02

When cash flow has become the constraint

A rolling forecast you trust, collections that hold, and the runway clarity to make the next decision with confidence.

03

When the board needs more than bookkeeping

Management accounts, KPIs and reporting that turn the monthly close into a basis for decisions, not a backward glance.

04

When UAE compliance is outpacing the team

Corporate tax, VAT and transfer pricing handled properly, with the controls a growing business needs in place.

What the CFO owns

Financial leadership, measured on outcomes

A fractional CFO does not advise from the sidelines. They take the finance function and the decisions inside it.

Cash flow and working capital

Forecasting, collections and supplier terms managed so liquidity stops being the thing that keeps you up at night.

Funding and investor readiness

Model, deck and diligence pack built to raise, then the round run end to end.

Reporting and board cadence

A timely monthly close, clear KPIs and reporting the board can actually act on.

Tax, controls and compliance

UAE corporate tax and VAT handled, segregation of duties enforced, and risk kept on the register.

The model

Senior leadership, on terms that fit the business

Business to business, scaled to the engagement, and free of the cost and liability that come with a permanent hire. One leader embeds, with the whole collective behind them.

No visaTo sponsor or renew
No EOSEnd-of-service liability
1 monthNotice, either way
Senior leaders reviewing the numbers in a calm Dubai boardroom
The comparison

A fractional CFO, a full-time hire, or a consultant

Three ways to bring in financial leadership. They are not the same.

Fractional

Full-time hire

Commitment
Fractional

Business to business, scaled to the engagement, one month notice.

Full-time hire

Salary, benefits, visa, insurance and end-of-service liability.

Cost
Fractional

Typically 30 to 60% less than full time.

Full-time hire

A senior package whether the workload justifies it or not.

Time to impact
Fractional

Embedded within weeks, with the collective behind them.

Full-time hire

A search, a notice period, then onboarding before any output.

Accountability
Fractional

Owns the finance function and the decisions in it.

Full-time hire

A consultant advises and steps away; the work stays with you.

How it works

From the brief to the match, in weeks

Tell us where you need leadership and we handle the rest. The guided brief takes a couple of minutes and makes the first conversation more useful.

01

Tell us the moment

Share where you need leadership and what good looks like.

02

A conversation

We talk through the brief and sharpen the requirement together.

03

The match

We search our collective of 350+ curated executives for the closest fit.

04

Deployment

You choose, and your leader embeds within weeks to make an immediate impact.

Common questions

The questions founders ask first

A part-time CFO (Chief Financial Officer) is a seasoned financial executive who provides strategic financial leadership to your Dubai business on a flexible basis. With UAE corporate tax implementation (9% on profits over AED 375,000), VAT compliance requirements, and complex banking relationships, Dubai SMEs need CFO-level expertise to navigate regulatory requirements, manage cash flow, prepare for funding, and build financial systems that support growth - all without the cost of a full-time executive that most businesses cannot afford.

A full-time CFO in Dubai typically costs AED 120,000-180,000 monthly including salary, benefits, visa, and insurance costs - often more than most businesses can afford. Our part-time CFO services provide the same level of expertise starting from AED 25,000-35,000 monthly, with flexible arrangements from 4-24 hours per week. You get senior financial leadership, compliance expertise, and strategic guidance without the AED 1.4M+ annual commitment that only larger enterprises can justify.

Absolutely. Our part-time CFOs specialise in helping Dubai SMEs navigate the current UAE corporate tax framework, including the 9% tax on profits over AED 375,000, VAT compliance requirements, transfer pricing regulations, and free zone tax implications. We ensure your businesses remains compliant whilst optimising your tax position and avoiding penalties that can severely impact SME cash flow and operations.

Our part-time CFOs help Dubai businesses with cash flow forecasting and management, businesses financial planning and budgeting, investor-ready financial presentations, UAE tax planning and compliance, accounting system optimisation, financial controls implementation, KPI tracking and reporting, and strategic financial decision support. We help Dubai SMEs improve their financial position and achieve sustainable growth.

Investment preparation requires professional financial documentation, realistic projections, and clean accounting systems. Our part-time CFOs create investor-ready financial models, establish proper financial controls, prepare due diligence documentation, develop credible growth projections, implement management reporting systems, and ensure compliance with UAE financial regulations. We work directly with your potential investors and advisors throughout the funding process.

Consider a part-time CFO when your monthly revenue exceeds AED 500,000, you're experiencing cash flow challenges, need UAE tax compliance support, planning business expansion, preparing for investment or funding, require financial analysis for major decisions, or when financial management is taking more than 20% of your time. The earlier you establish proper financial foundations, the smoother your growth journey becomes.

Bookkeepers and accountants handle transaction recording and basic compliance reporting. A part-time CFO provides strategic financial leadership, including cash flow forecasting, business financial planning, investor relations, tax strategy, risk management, and executive-level financial oversight. While bookkeepers tell you what happened, CFOs help you plan what should happen and ensure you have the financial structure to achieve your businesses goals.

Our part-time CFOs complement your existing team by providing strategic oversight and mentorship. They establish financial policies, review and improve processes, provide training on best practices, ensure compliance with UAE regulations, and create reporting systems that give you clear visibility into business performance. Your existing team handles day-to-day transactions whilst the CFO focuses on strategy, compliance, and growth planning.

Insights

More on the fractional CFO

Selected reading on where a fractional CFO earns its place in a Dubai business.

View all CFO articles
Explore the practices

One role, or a blended leadership setup

Many engagements start with one executive and grow. See the full range of C-suite practices and specialised appointments, or tell us the moment and we will help you choose.

Get started

Tell us what is putting pressure on finance.

Cash flow, a raise, reporting gaps or margin. Outline it in the guided brief and we will scope the right level of CFO support and where the fastest wins are.

Start my CFO brief