Virtual CFO Services in the UAE

A Virtual CFO from MKonnect Global provides a defined number of senior finance days per month tailored to client needs. Typical activities include: reviewing and signing off management accounts; presenting financial results to the board or ownership; managing lender relationships and covenant compliance; overseeing the finance team and reviewing their work; leading cash flow forecasting and working capital management; preparing or reviewing investor materials and board papers; advising on major financial decisions, transactions and contracts; and liaising with auditors, tax advisers and other professional advisers. The mix of activities is agreed upfront and reviewed quarterly to ensure maximum value.

Engagement size is customised to each client. Most clients in the AED 5M-50M revenue range require 3-6 days per month of senior CFO time. Larger or more complex businesses, or those undertaking fundraising or M&A processes, may require 8-15 days per month. During intensive periods such as year-end, audit or fundraising, engagement levels can be increased on a flexible basis. All our Virtual CFO engagements are supported by the broader MKonnect Global team for day-to-day accounting, VAT and payroll — giving clients a complete finance function.

A Virtual CFO is typically the right solution when the business has reached the point where strategic financial leadership is needed but cannot yet justify a full-time CFO cost (typically AED 300,000-600,000 per year in total employment cost for a qualified finance director). This is generally the AED 5M-100M revenue range. Above AED 100M revenue, or when the business is undertaking significant M&A or complex fundraising activity on a sustained basis, a full-time CFO appointment is usually warranted. MKonnect Global will always advise clients honestly on when this transition makes sense and can manage the full-time CFO recruitment and handover process.

Yes — fundraising support is a core capability of our Virtual CFO service. We prepare investor-grade financial models, information memoranda and board presentations; manage the financial due diligence process; answer investor and lender financial questions; review and negotiate term sheets from a financial perspective; and coordinate the financial close process with legal and other advisers. Our Virtual CFOs have supported UAE businesses in raising equity from family offices, private equity and venture capital, as well as debt from UAE and international banks.

Our Virtual CFO service is designed to work with and above your existing accounting function — whether that is an in-house bookkeeper, an outsourced accounting provider, or MKonnect Global's own bookkeeping team. We review and challenge the accounting work product, build management reporting on top of the underlying accounts, and provide the strategic layer that transforms accounting data into business intelligence. If the existing accounting function is not producing sufficiently reliable data, we will identify the issues and implement improvements as part of the engagement.