Transforming Finance: Overcoming Limitations with Automation
Speak to any CFO and they project their spending on financial automation technologies to increase over the next 18 months. And if you speak to them about exactly where to place that investment to realise the full value of any technologies they implement the picture becomes more confusing. With so many providers to choose from and so many promises of increased efficiency and incredible cost savings, it is hard to know where to focus the energy and investment. That is why we have brought together 3 finance leaders from esteemed companies across the Middle East including Barclays, Al Safi Danon, Pharmanovia and CCH Tagetik to event explore how they are delivering finance automation that empowers CFOs with real-time insights, better forecasting, and improved risk management.
Join us and your peers across the region for this complimentary webinar as these finance leaders from across the region will discuss how automation helps CFOs move beyond transactional oversight to a more strategic role. Learn how leading finance teams are optimizing resource allocation, enhancing decision-making, and creating a unified source of truth for financial data. Whether you’re navigating legacy system challenges or looking to future-proof your finance function, this session will provide actionable insights tailored to today’s CFOs.
Learning Objectives:
- Moving from legacy to leading-edge: Leveraging automation to drive agility, scalability, and precision in financial operation;
- Gaining intelligent insights: Integrating modern CPM systems to anticipate trends and enable faster, smarter decisions;
- Ensuring data accuracy and seamless operations: Creating a unified source of truth for more reliable financial reporting and enhanced collaboration;
- Strengthening scenario planning: Modeling financial outcomes, mitigating risks, and building business resilience with automatic
- Redefining the CFO’s role: Transitioning from transactional oversight to strategic leadership, driving innovation, efficiency and business growthExcel, legacy systems, or traditional ERPs
Speakers:
Ramkumar Balasubramaniam, Chief Financial Officer, Middle East and Africa, Barclays, UAE
CFO with 23 years of progressively senior experience, working with International banks in Retail, Corporate, Private and Investment banking. I have led teams across FP&A, financial control, treasury, regulatory reporting and business management. Key business partner, highly valued for business acumen and insights to manage risk and grow revenues, drive efficiencies and reduce cost, evaluate capital allocation and improve returns. Analytical thinker, adept at ‘Telling the Story’ and inspiring a data-driven decision-making culture. Actively engaged with the wider finance community as a speaker and panel member at Finance conferences, FPAC exam development member, and pro bono consultant.
Ahmed Dawoud, Chief Financial Officer, Al Safi Danone, Saudi Arabia
Ahmed has over 20 years of experience in Finance, working across multiple industries in the Middle East, Asia, and Europe. He previously served as CFO at PepsiCo GCC and Levant Foods in Saudi Arabia. His areas of expertise include Strategic Finance, Financial Planning, Financial Reporting, and Accounting Standards.
Dr. Mohamed ELRouby, AVP Global Commercial Finance, Pharmanovia, UAE
Global finance and strategy leader with 20 years of experience in global multinational companies, including J&J, Novartis, Allergan, Takeda, and Energizer. He has held multiple international senior finance roles across the globe. Prior to his current role, he served as CFO for the Middle East and Africa, and Global Commercial Finance Lead. Key Specialties: FP&A — Financial Planning & Analysis, Commercial Finance, Finance Transformation, Finance Digitization, Finance Business Partner
Hiren Bhatia, Business Development Manager, CCH ® Tagetik, Wolters Kluwer. Moderator.
With over 15 years of experience in financial software, credit automation for banks, business intelligence, corporate performance management, and more, a well-connected professional in business development. Currently responsible for Business Development and Channel Management for CCH Tagetik in the MEA region.
