Chief Financial Officer

ETRA Talent; Abu Dhabi Emirate; On-site; AED 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Job summary

ETRA Talent in the UAE is recruiting a Chief Financial Officer based in Dubai or Abu Dhabi for a growing institutional brokerage with FSRA obligations. The role offers full ownership of finance, governance, and strategic financial planning to support international expansion.

You will lead regulatory reporting, capital management, budgeting, and finance systems while building a high-performing team and engaging with Boards, auditors, and regulators on a global platform.

Qualifications

• Professional accounting qualification (ACA/ACCA/CIMA or equivalent).
• Senior finance leadership in regulated financial services.
• Experience as CFO/Deputy CFO or Finance Director with broader responsibilities.
• Strong knowledge of financial control, regulatory reporting, capital adequacy, liquidity management.
• FSRA experience desirable or comparable regulatory environments.
• Experience with international multi-entity operations.
• Ability to engage with Boards, auditors and regulators.
• Willingness to be based in Dubai or Abu Dhabi.

Responsibilities

• Lead the finance function with strong controls and clear accountability.
• Oversee regulatory returns and FSRA compliance across entities.
• Manage capital adequacy, liquidity, cash flow and treasury activities.
• Provide timely management information, forecasts and analyses for leadership.
• Lead budgeting, planning and scenario analysis for expansion.
• Develop finance systems and build a capable finance team.

Skills

Finance leadership

Regulatory reporting

Financial analysis

Strategic planning

Stakeholder engagement

Education

ACA/ACCA/CIMA or equivalent

Tools

FSRA knowledge

Job description

Institutional Brokerage | Dubai or Abu Dhabi

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 role

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.

Key responsibilities

• 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.

Candidate profile

• 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.