ZIAD EL KHATIB
Jeddah,Saudi Arabia
Summary
Executive Chief Financial Officer with 20+ years of leadership experience across corporate finance, treasury management, investments, and financial controllership within Saudi Arabia and the broader Middle East, including family office and privately held business environments. Proven expertise in capital structure optimization, funding strategy, and banking relationship management, overseeing facilities exceeding SAR 1.5B and executing hedging strategies that reduced financing costs by approximately SAR 7M . Investment-focused finance leader managing portfolios above SAR 1B across private equity and venture capital, delivering successful exits with 2x returns and approximately USD 20M in net profit. Strong track record in corporate governance enhancement, ERP-driven financial transformation, accelerated financial close cycles, cost optimization, and implementation of tax and risk management frameworks that improve profitability and long-term financial stability.
Overview
21
21
years of professional experience
1
1
year of post-secondary education
1
1
Certification
Work history
Chief Financial Officer
Attar United
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
2022.01 - 2026.03
- Financial Leadership & Planning: Drive end-to-end finance operations and enterprise-wide financial planning, lead annual budgeting and forecasting cycles, establish financial targets, and implement structured performance monitoring frameworks to ensure fiscal discipline and accurate management reporting.
- Executive Partnership & Governance: Partner with CEO and executive leadership team as key decision-maker, provide strategic financial recommendations supported by scenario analysis, and contribute to corporate strategy, capital allocation, and performance management.
- Treasury, Banking Facilities & Capital Structure: Manage banking relationships and oversee facilities exceeding SR 1.5B, negotiate a 0.5% reduction in credit spreads, and optimize facility utilization to achieve a consistent 2% year-over-year reduction in overall funding costs while maintaining leverage at 1.5:1.
- Funding Optimization & Interest Rate Risk Management: Structure and execute an Interest Rate Swap (IRS) with two leading banks to mitigate interest rate exposure, reducing total funding costs by approximately SR 7M over two years and strengthening treasury risk controls.
- Investment Portfolio & Exit Strategy: Oversee a diversified investment portfolio valued at SR 1B+, align investment strategy with liquidity and return objectives, and lead a successful investment exit delivering a 2x multiple within two years and approximately USD 20M in net profit.
- Cost Control, Tax Strategy & Systems Transformation: Implement overhead optimization initiatives reducing annual operating expenses by 5%, execute tax planning strategies lowering tax liability by approximately SR 5M, direct Microsoft Dynamics ERP implementation to automate workflows and improve reporting accuracy (reducing financial close by 10 days), and strengthen internal controls through collaboration with an external internal audit firm to enhance compliance and mitigate operational risk.
Finance Director
Alshaya Enterprises
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
2020.01 - 2022.01
- Finance Operations & Performance Management: Oversaw full finance department operations, set departmental objectives, and designed structured performance frameworks; analyzed costs, pricing structures, variable contribution margins, and sales performance against approved business plans to ensure financial alignment and accountability.
- Financial Planning, Budgeting & Capital Allocation: Managed the annual budgeting process and capital budgeting cycle, applied constraint analysis and discounted cash flow (DCF) methodologies to evaluate investment decisions, and maintained leverage below 2:1 to safeguard capital structure and financial stability.
- Cost Optimization & Organizational Transformation: Led the transformation from a decentralized to a centralized Finance function across GCC operations, eliminated redundancies and excess overhead, and delivered a 6% reduction in recurring operating costs; conducted structured cost reviews to identify additional cost reduction opportunities and operational efficiencies.
- Strategic Advisory, Throughput Improvement & Tax Governance: Reviewed operational bottlenecks and recommended process improvements to enhance company throughput and financial performance; supported executive management in shaping overall corporate strategy; and oversaw tax calculation and compliance, establishing formal procedures that reduced tax exposure by approximately SR 7M.
Financial Controller & Strategic Planning
Rabya General Contracting
Jeddah / Khobar, Saudi Arabia
2015.01 - 2020.01
- Strategic Planning, Budgeting & Investment Analysis: Collaborated with the CFO to prepare annual operating budgets and develop capital budgeting and investment analyses; prepared a structured five-year range business plan that defined corporate direction, capital allocation priorities, and measurable growth targets to support long-term contracting operations.
- Treasury, Banking Facilities & Asset Control: Managed banking facilities including Letters of Credit (LCs), Letters of Guarantee (LGs), Short-Term Loans (STL), and Project/Performance Contract financing; controlled purchasing, disposal, and sale of fixed assets, overseeing the full asset lifecycle to ensure financial accuracy, compliance, and operational transparency.
- Tax Governance: Oversaw tax calculations and in-Kingdom tax payments to prevent over- and under-provisioning; monitored monthly VAT filings and VAT system compliance; and provided internal VAT advisory oversight to strengthen regulatory adherence within the contracting environment.
- Financial Reporting, Cost Control & Systems Implementation: Reviewed monthly financial results and implemented structured variance analysis against budget; reduced overhead through targeted cost-control initiatives; led implementation of all ERP modules to enhance reporting accuracy and process integration; and assisted the CFO in preparing periodic reports to the Audit Committee and Board covering financial, operational, and compliance controls.
Head of Strategic Planning Department
Rabya General Contracting
Jeddah / Khobar, Saudi Arabia
2012.01 - 2015.01
- Strategic Planning Framework & Business Performance Integration: Established the Strategic Planning Department, analyzed the company's competitive and financial position, and developed structured policies to enhance operational performance and strengthen coordination across business units; led enterprise-wide financial planning and reporting, delivering business analysis and finance support to all Strategic Business Units (SBUs) to enable data-driven executive decision-making.
- Operational Efficiency & Process Optimization: Reduced excess materials purchasing by restructuring procurement policies and implemented a transfer mechanism to reallocate surplus materials across projects; lowered overhead costs by leading the transition to fully automated HR processes, improving cost control and administrative efficiency across contracting operations.
Head of Accounting Department
Rabya General Contracting
Jeddah / Khobar, Saudi Arabia
2009.01 - 2012.01
- Accounting Operations, Controls & Working Capital Management: Strengthened accounting policies and procedures across Strategic Business Units (SBUs), increased inventory turnover, and reduced dormant stock; established structured internal controls over cash transactions by designing verification and approval workflows for petty cash and expense management; and developed and maintained financial systems covering cash management, accounts payable, accounts receivable, and credit control to improve liquidity oversight within project-based contracting operations.
- Financial Reporting, Budget Support & Inventory Governance: Collected and consolidated financial data to support finalization of budget and forecast proposals for profit and loss, balance sheet, and cash flow statements; and supervised quarterly stock-taking activities to ensure inventory accuracy, strengthen financial reporting integrity, and support reliable cost tracking across projects.
Senior Accountant
Saudi Binladin Group – Metal Artwork Factory
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
2008.01 - 2009.01
- Financial Reporting & Reconciliations: Prepared monthly Trial Balance reports and detailed schedules covering Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, debit aging analysis, and General & Administrative expenses; performed monthly reconciliations for banks, agents, and related-party accounts to ensure ledger accuracy and financial control within a manufacturing environment.
- Cost Tracking & Manufacturing Control: Developed an Excel-based cost model to track and control product manufacturing costs from raw material procurement through finished goods stage, improving cost visibility, margin analysis, and production cost management.
Accountant
UNITCO
Beirut, Lebanon
2006.01 - 2008.01
- Financial Controls, Reconciliations & Treasury Support: Prepared bank reconciliations and interest calculations, administered leasing contract controls, and managed financial activities related to Letters of Credit (L/Cs) and Letters of Guarantee (L/Gs) to support treasury operations and ensure accurate financial reporting.
- Audit Coordination & General Ledger Management: Audited company facilities in Lebanon and abroad to identify discrepancies and recommend corrective actions; processed journal entries using Visual Dolphin accounting system to maintain general ledger accuracy and compliance with internal accounting standards.
Assistant Accountant (Part-Time)
Tala Tours
Beirut, Lebanon
2005.01 - 2006.01
- Accounting Support & Transaction Processing: Assisted in daily accounting operations by recording financial transactions, supporting accounts payable and receivable processes, and maintaining accurate bookkeeping records to ensure timely financial reporting within a travel and tourism services environment.
Education
Certified Management Accountant (CMA) - Finance and Accounting
Institute of Management Accountants (IMA)
United States of America 2018.03 - 2019.03
Postgraduate Diploma - Business & Finance
Beirut Arab University
Beirut, LebanonBachelor of Science (BSc) - Business Administration & Commerce
Beirut Arab University
Beirut, LebanonSkills
- Corporate Finance
- ERP Implementation
- Budgeting & Forecasting
- FP&A (Financial Planning & Analysis)
- Treasury Management
- Banking Facilities Management
- Interest Rate Risk Management (IRS)
- Investment Portfolio Management
- Capital Budgeting
- Tax Planning & Compliance
- Internal Controls & Internal Audit
- Financial Strategy
- Cost Optimization & Overhead Reduction
Certification
- Certified Management Accountant (CMA)
- Certified Budget Analyst (CBA)
- Lead Auditor – ISO 9001:2008 (Quality Management System)
LANGUAGES
English
Fluent
Arabic
Native
French
Intermediate
Timeline
Chief Financial Officer
Attar United
2022.01 - 2026.03
Finance Director
Alshaya Enterprises
2020.01 - 2022.01
Certified Management Accountant (CMA) - Finance and Accounting
Institute of Management Accountants (IMA)
2018.03 - 2019.03
Financial Controller & Strategic Planning
Rabya General Contracting
2015.01 - 2020.01
Head of Strategic Planning Department
Rabya General Contracting
2012.01 - 2015.01
Head of Accounting Department
Rabya General Contracting
2009.01 - 2012.01
Senior Accountant
Saudi Binladin Group – Metal Artwork Factory
2008.01 - 2009.01
Accountant
UNITCO
2006.01 - 2008.01
Assistant Accountant (Part-Time)
Tala Tours
2005.01 - 2006.01
Postgraduate Diploma - Business & Finance
Beirut Arab University
Bachelor of Science (BSc) - Business Administration & Commerce
Beirut Arab University