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CFO Services in UAE & KSA: How We Helped a KSA Business Secure Funding & Boost Margins | Ghalib Consulting
In the competitive heart of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s (KSA) market, a promising manufacturing company found itself at a critical crossroads. Despite a strong product and a dedicated team, they were trapped in a cycle of cash flow constraints, stagnant growth, and eroding profit margins. They needed more than just an accountant; they needed a strategic partner to guide them from survival to success.
This is where Ghalib Consulting stepped in. Our mission is to empower businesses in the UAE and KSA with financial leadership that drives tangible results. This case study details how our fractional CFO services provided the strategic blueprint to not only secure vital funding but also to fundamentally improve the company’s profitability.
The Challenge: A Business Struggling to Unlock Its Potential
Our client, a mid-sized manufacturer in the Eastern Province, faced a classic growth barrier. They had a clear opportunity to expand their operations and capture more market share, but their internal financial management was not equipped to support this ambition. Their core challenges were:
- Inability to Secure Funding: Their existing financial statements and business plans failed to convince lenders and investors. The story of their potential was lost in poorly organized data and weak financial projections.
- Declining Profit Margins: Rising material costs and operational inefficiencies were silently eating into their profits, but they lacked the analytical tools to identify the root causes.
- Reactive, Not Proactive, Financial Management: The internal team was overwhelmed with day-to-day bookkeeping, leaving no bandwidth for strategic analysis, cash flow forecasting, or cost control.
- Lack of Investor-Grade Reporting: Their financial reports were compliant for basic tax purposes but were entirely inadequate for making strategic decisions or presenting to financial institutions.
They needed the expertise of a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) but couldn’t justify the cost of a full-time executive. Our fractional CFO service was the perfect solution.
Our Solution: A Multi-Phased Approach with Strategic CFO Leadership
We deployed a dedicated CFO from our team to work closely with the client’s leadership. Our intervention was structured, strategic, and focused on two primary objectives: building credibility for funding and building a foundation for profitability.
Phase 1: Securing the Future – The Road to SAR 5 Million in Funding
Securing capital requires more than just asking; it requires building an irrefutable case.
- Developing a Robust Financial Model: We built a dynamic, multi-scenario financial model that projected revenue, expenses, and cash flow for the next five years. This model wasn’t based on guesswork; it was grounded in market data, historical trends, and realistic assumptions about the KSA market.
- Creating a Compelling Investor Pitch Deck: We transformed their business plan into a powerful narrative. We clearly articulated the market opportunity, the company’s unique value proposition, the management team’s strengths, and—most importantly—a detailed plan for how the funding would be used to generate a strong return on investment (ROI).
- Strengthening Financial Statements and KPIs: We cleaned up their balance sheet and income statement, ensuring accuracy and transparency. We also identified and began tracking Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that mattered to investors, such as Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC), Lifetime Value (LTV), and EBITDA margins.
- Facilitating Lender & Investor Introductions: Leveraging our extensive network within the KSA financial ecosystem, we identified and introduced the client to the most suitable lenders. Our CFO acted as the company’s financial representative, confidently presenting the plan and answering complex financial questions.
Phase 2: Engineering Profitability – A Deep Dive into Margins
While the funding process was underway, we simultaneously tackled the profit margin issue.
- Product and Service Costing Analysis: We conducted a granular analysis of their product costing. We discovered that several product lines, previously believed to be profitable, were actually being subsidized by others due to inaccurate overhead allocation.
- Supply Chain and Procurement Review: We identified opportunities to renegotiate contracts with suppliers and source alternative raw materials without compromising quality, achieving significant cost savings.
- Operational Efficiency Audit: Our team analyzed operational workflows, identifying bottlenecks and areas of waste that were increasing production costs and lead times.
- Implementing Strategic Pricing: Armed with precise cost data, we helped the company move from cost-plus pricing to a value-based pricing strategy, ensuring they were adequately compensated for the value they delivered.
The Tangible Results: A Business Transformed
Within nine months of engaging our CFO services, the client’s financial trajectory was completely transformed.
- Result 1: Successfully Secured SAR 5 Million in Funding. The company received a term sheet and ultimately secured a SAR 5 Million investment from a local investment group. The investors specifically cited the “professionalism and depth of the financial model and business plan” as a key factor in their decision.
- Result 2: Improved Gross Profit Margins by 15%.
- Through strategic procurement, they reduced material costs by 8%.
- The new pricing strategy directly increased contribution margins on key product lines by 7%.
- Result 3: Enhanced Cash Flow Forecasting. The company now operates with a rolling 13-week cash flow forecast, allowing them to manage obligations proactively and plan for future investments with confidence.
- Result 4: Data-Driven Decision-Making Culture. The leadership team now uses the dashboards and KPI reports we implemented to make informed strategic decisions, moving from reactive problem-solving to proactive opportunity-seeking.
Why Your Business in the UAE or KSA Needs a Fractional CFO
You may not need a full-time CFO, but your business undoubtedly needs CFO-level strategic thinking. A fractional CFO from Ghalib Consulting provides:
- Expertise Without the Full-Time Cost: Access top-tier financial talent at a fraction of the cost of a full-time hire.
- Strategic Focus: We focus on high-impact areas like fundraising, financial planning, M&A, and profitability, freeing your team to run daily operations.
- Objective Perspective: We provide an unbiased, external view of your business challenges and opportunities.
- Credibility with Stakeholders: We enhance your company’s reputation with banks, investors, and board members.
Ready to Write Your Own Success Story?
Whether your goal is to secure funding for expansion, improve profitability, or simply gain control over your financial future, Ghalib Consulting is here to help.
Our tailored CFO services are designed to provide the strategic financial leadership that businesses in the UAE and KSA need to thrive in a dynamic economic landscape.
Contact Ghalib Consulting today for a confidential consultation. Let’s discuss how we can help you secure your funding and improve your margins.
📞 Phone: +966-50-7024644
📧 Email: ghalib@ghalibconsulting.com