Mohamed Fahmy Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
Honeywell
,, ,, Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.
- Epictetus
Astheglobalfinanceisintheadvancingstage,the
roleoftheChiefFinancialOfficerhasundergonea remarkabletransformation—nolongerconfinedto balancesheetsandfinancialforecasting,today’sCFOisa strategicpowerhouse,atechnologyadvocate,anda visionaryleader.Thisisespeciallytrueinthecontextof SaudiArabia,whereeconomicdiversification,digital transformation,andVision2030arereshapingthenation’s corporateDNA.
AstheKingdomsteerstowardbecomingaknowledgebased,innovation-ledeconomy,thefinancefunctionhas becomecentraltodrivingsustainablegrowth,operational efficiency,andstakeholdertrust.Frommegaprojectsin NEOMtodigitalbankingexpansionsandindustrial modernization,CFOsacrossindustriesarenowatthe forefrontofhigh-stakesdecision-making.
Inthisexclusivefeature—SaudiArabia’sTenMost InfluentialCFOstoWatchin2025—wespotlight financialleaderswhoexemplifystrategicinsight,agility, andlong-termvision.Theseexecutivesarenotjust managingcapital;theyaremobilizingittofuelinnovation, navigatevolatility,andcreatevalueinarapidlychanging market.
WhatdistinguishestheseCFOsistheirabilitytocombine financialdisciplinewithtechnologicalfluency Theyare leveragingdataanalytics,ERPsystems,andAItoolsto
unlockreal-timeinsightsandsmarterforecasting.More importantly,theyarefosteringcross-functional collaboration—bridgingfinancewithoperations, sustainability,andgovernance.
Theirleadershipisessentialtomeetingtheambitionsof Vision2030,astheprivatesectorplaysagrowingrolein non-oilGDPcontribution,jobcreation,andglobal competitiveness.WhetherguidingIPOs,steeringmergers, buildingrobustriskframeworks,orchampioningESG integration,theseCFOsarearchitectsoftransformation.
Thisfeatureisatributetotheirimpact—notonlyas stewardsofcapitalbutasstewardsofprogress.We recognizetheirachievementsnotasisolatedtriumphs,but asreflectionsofabroadernationalandregionalmomentum.
AsSaudiArabiacontinuestoredefineitsplaceonthe globaleconomicstage,thecontributionsoftheseten influentialCFOsarebothtimelyandprofound.Weinvite youtoexploretheirstories,theirstrategies,andthe leadershipvaluesthatpositionthemasfinancetrailblazers towatchin2025—andbeyond.
Managing Editor
Con A R T I C L E S Leadership at the Edge: Decision-Making in High-Stakes Environments
18. 22.
The CEO’s Compass: Navigating Strategy, Culture, and Innovation
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FeaturedPerson
AbdullahTahboub CFO
AhmedDawoud CFO
BassamEl-Khoury FPAHead/CFO
HusseinAl-Khunaizi CFO
KhaledAbanami HeadofFinance
MamounZaghal FinanceManager
MohamedFahmy ChiefFinancialOfficer
CompanyName
MuhammadImran ChiefFinancialOfficer
OmarSamara ChiefFinancialOfficer
UsamaElruby CFO
Brief Withover19yearsofexperienceinfinancialleadership, Abdullahhasaproventrackrecordofachievementsand overcomingchallengesinbothcorporateandstartup environments. Foodics foodics.com
AlSafiDanone alsafidanone.com
AlJazirahVehicles AgenciesCo.Ltd. bit.ly/3rurcYj
Ahmedisrecognizedforhisthoughtleadershipin finance,havingbeenfeaturedasaspeakerateventssuch asthe25thEditionoftheCFOLeadershipSummitand theFinancialPerformanceExcellenceconference.
Inhisrole,Bassamoverseesthecompany'sfinancial operations,includingbudgeting,financialplanning,andrisk management,contributingtotheorganization'sstrategic growthandstability
HusseinAl-Khunaizi,CPA,hasbeenservingastheChief FinancialOfficer(CFO)atBSFCapital,theinvestment armofBanqueSaudiFransi,sinceJuly2014. BSFCapital bsfcapital.sa
Withextensiveexperienceinfinancialmanagementand strategicplanning,Khaledplaysapivotalroleinoverseeing Mobily'sfinancialoperations,ensuringthecompany's financialhealthandlong-termgrowth. Mobily mobily.com.sa
Novartis novartis.com
Mamounisresponsibleforoverseeingthefinancial operationswithinhisdivision,drivingbudgeting,forecasting, andreportingtoensurethecompany’sfinancialperformance alignswithitsbusinessobjectives.
UnderMohamed'sleadership,Honeywellhascontinuedto strengthenitspresenceintheMENAmarket,optimizing businessperformanceanddrivinginnovation. Honeywell honeywell.com
NICEONE niceonesa.com
SalehiyaHealthcare salehiya.com
Alromansiah alromansiah.com
Withadeepexpertiseinfinancialstrategy,riskmanagement, andcorporategovernance,Muhammadplaysacriticalrolein steeringthecompany’sfinancialoperationsandsupporting itsgrowthtrajectory
Inhisleadershipcapacity,Omarisresponsiblefordriving financialperformance,managingrisk,andensuringthe company’sfinancialhealthalignswithitsbusiness objectives.
Usamaplaysakeyroleindrivingfinancialstrategy, ensuringoperationalefficiency,andsupporting Alromansiah’slong-termgrowthobjectives.
Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Honeywell
AM E D M O H A M E D A M E D Mthatvalueddiscipline,logic,andcontinuouslearning—qualitiesthatnaturallyalignedwithfinance.What trulyignitedhispathwasseeinghowfinanceprofessionals playapivotalroleindrivingnotjustprofitabilitybut purposefulbusinessdirection.Today,theseearlyinfluences remainembeddedinhisleadershipapproach.Heleadswith clarity,data,andaforward-lookingmindset,always ensuringthatfinanceisastrategicenabler—notjusta controlfunction.
Reflecting,Mr.Fahmysays,“Several pivotal moments shaped my evolution into the CFO role.”Earlyinhiscareer, hewasentrustedwithleadinghigh-stakesfinancial
planningforcapital-intensiveprojectsacrosstheMENA region.“That taught me how to manage risk, optimize capital structure, and align financial plans with operational realities.”Anotherdefiningmomentcameduringabusiness transformationinitiative,wherehehelpedleadamultientityintegrationthatincludedERPoverhaul,costrealignment,andworkingcapitaloptimization.Itwasamoment thatdemandedstrategicforesight,stakeholderinfluence, andteamresilience.Theseexperiencescrystallizedhis beliefthataCFOmustblendoperationalfluencywith strategicagility
NavigatingProactively Mr.Fahmy’scorephilosophyistoanchorfinanceinvalue creation,transparency,andadaptability.Especially duringvolatility,financemustserveasbothastabilizerand anaccelerator.Heshares,“I advocate for scenario planning, agile forecasting, and cross-functional alignment to ensure our financial strategy stays relevant.”Forexample, duringrecentmacroeconomicshiftsintheregion,heled initiativestore-baselineprojectcashflows,optimize pricingstrategies,anddigitizereportingtoimprove decisionvelocity.Financemustbeaproactivenavigator—notapassivereporter—especiallywhentheterrainis uncertain, insists. he
Intoday’sage,strikingabalancebetweenoperational efficiency,long-termstrategicinvestments,andfinancial disciplineiscrucial.AccordingtoMr.Fahmy,thekeylies inprioritizationandperformancemeasurement.Heworks closelywithbusinessleaderstodefineclearmetricsfor valuecreationacrosshorizons—short-termefficiencies, mid-termgrowthbets,andlong-terminnovation.Headds, “At Honeywell, we’ve established strong financial governance around capital allocation while fostering a mindset of cost leadership and return on investment. One of the ways we’ve achieved this is by embedding finance business partners across verticals—bringing financial insight into every operational conversation.”Thisensures thateverydollarspentispurpose-driven.
CultivatingTrustedLeadership Leadershipinfinanceisn’tjustaboutnumbers.Italso meanscultivatingtrustandalignmentbetweenthefinance functionandotherbusinessunits.“Trust starts with partnership,”believesMr.Fahmy.Hehasbuiltfinance teamsthatarenotonlytechnicallyexcellentbutdeeply embeddedinthebusiness.“We co-create budgets, challenge assumptions constructively, and stay close to the frontline
realities.”Healsoinvestsincommunication—translating complexfinancialnarrativesintobusiness-impactlanguage. Oneofthemosteffectivestrategieshasbeentorotatehighpotentialfinancetalentintooperationalrolesandviceversa. Thiscross-pollinationbuildsempathy,breakssilos,and ensuresthatfinanceisseenasatrustedadvisor,nota gatekeeper
AttheForefrontofInnovations Mr.Fahmyfurthersthatfinanceplaysacriticalroleasboth adatastewardandaninnovationenabler.AtHoneywell MENA,he’sledthedeploymentofadvancedanalyticstools thatempowerdecision-makerswithreal-timeinsights. “We’ve transitioned from static reporting to dynamic dashboards, enabling predictive scenario analysis and M O H A M E D
M O H A M E D proactive risk management.”Furthermore,financemust challengethestatusquo—askingtoughquestions,exploring newbusinessmodels,andadvocatingforstrategicbets groundedindata.“In this era of AI and automation, we must evolve from backward-looking reporting to forwarddriving insights.”
SociallyResponsibleFinancialStewardship Furthermore,Mr.Fahmyisintegratingfinancialstewardshipwithsocialresponsibilityandenvironmentalimpact. Hefeelsthatsustainabilityandgovernancearenow inseparablefromfinancialleadership.AsaCFO,heensures theirinvestmentdecisionsreflectnotonlyeconomicreturns butalsoenvironmentalandsocialimpact.“We’ve incorporated ESG metrics into our planning frameworks,”andhe workscloselywithhiscomplianceandoperationsteamsto trackcarbonintensity,supplierethics,andcommunity engagement.Forexample,they’veimplementedsustainable procurementpracticesandintegratedlifecyclecostinginto theircapitalinvestmentanalysis.Additionally,theyactively engageinenergyefficiencyandsavingsprojectsin partnershipwithgovernment-ledinitiativesinSaudiArabia, aligningtheirfinancialstrategywiththeKingdom’s sustainabilityagenda.Financialstewardshiptodaymeans buildingresilient,responsible,andfuture-readyenterprises.
EmergingResolutefromtheCrisis Everysuccessfulsagahasitschallenges.InMr.Fahmy’s case,herecallsoneofthemostchallengingperiods.Itwas navigatinglarge-scalecontractrestructuringsduring COVID-19andpost-pandemicrecovery.Thelevelof uncertainty,combinedwithshiftingclientexpectationsand disruptedsupplychains,testedeveryaspectofouroperatingmodel.“I leaned heavily on cash flow visibility, stakeholder alignment, and structured scenario planning,” heshares.Moreimportantly,heprioritizedteamwellbeing—ensuringthatresiliencewasn’tjustfinancialbut alsoemotional.“We emerged stronger, more agile, and with a deeper sense of purpose,”hesayswithasenseofpride.
MentoredbytheLegendsandPayingItForward Mr.Fahmysayshehasbeenfortunatetolearnfrom visionaryfinanceandbusinessleaderswhotaughthimthe importanceofethicalleadership,strategicclarity,andteam development.Hepaysitforwardbymentoringemerging financeleaders,sponsoringtalentacrossfunctions,and supportingfinancecapabilityprograms.Healsoshares thoughtleadershipacrossCFOforumsandservesasa
speakeratfinancetransformationeventsacrosstheregion. “I believe that the next generation of CFOs must be techsavvy, people-centric, and globally minded—and I actively support that development.”
PersonalUnwinding Finally,onthepersonalfront,outsidetheboardroom,Mr. Fahmyisdeeplyinspiredbylearning,travel,andpersonal growth.Hereadsextensivelyonleadership,behavioral economics,anddigitaltransformation.Healsobelievesin mindfulnessandreflection—takingtimetorealignwith purpose.Spendingtimewithhisfamily,exploringnew cultures,orsimplygoingforawalkhelpshimrechargeand returnwithrenewedfocus.“In a role as demanding as CFO, mental clarity is essential. You lead better when you live well,”heconcludes.
BuildingaBetterTomorrow Today'sleadingCFOs,suchasMrFahmy,havebeenkeyin maximizingthefinancialwell-beingoftheirorganizations whileshapingthebrandimageandwideningthefirm's overallsuccessandimpactonsocietyatlarge.Thestrategic decisions,insightfulguidance,andforward-thinking approacheschampionedbyinspiringandimpactful financialleaderssuchasMohamedFahmynowresonate internally,acrossallfacetsofthebusiness,andexternally, withafar-reachinginfluenceonthewidereconomic ecosystem.HisleadershipunderscoresthemodernCFO's criticalfunctionasakeyarchitectofvaluecreationand sustainablegrowthinthedigitalage.
Astimemovestowardthefuture,MohamedFahmy remainscommittedtobuildingfinancialstrategiesthatdrive valueforallstakeholders—shareholders,employees, customers,andcommunitiesalike.
Leadership at the Edge: Decision-Making in High-Stakes Environments Inhigh-stakesdecisions—wheredecisionisthemargin
betweensuccessandfailure,safetyandcatastrophe, victoryanddefeat,forwardprogressand demolition—leadersarechallengedhardbytheir intelligenceastheyarebywhethertheycanbecool, focused,andstrategicallymindedwhenhighstakeshangin thebalance.Thosesituationsgetworkedoutthroughwars inthemilitary,rescueoperations,boardrooms,foreign negotiations,orwhateverenvironmentwheremarginsof errorarenanometerthin.
Edgeleadersneedtohaveaparticularcombinationof situationalawareness,emotionalresilience,ethicalclarity, andquickjudgment.Knowinghowtooperateinthesekinds ofsettingsisessentialintheageofcomplexityand volatility
TheNatureofHigh-StakesLeadership Threefoundationalconditionscharacterizehigh-stakes leadership:timepressure,ambiguity,andhigh-stakes consequence.Whetherfacingacyberattack,managinga publichealthemergency,orguidingacompanythrough economicdisaster,leadersmustprocessinformationat pace,choosebetweensuboptimalalternatives,andact fast—allwiththeassurancethattheirstaffandstakeholders willtrustthem.
Thestakesarenotjustfinancialorbusinessbutoften reputational,survival,orlife-altering.Leadershipinsuch instancesismorethanusualadministration.Itneeds strategicvision,psychologicalacumen,andflexibility
High-StakesDecision-Maker'sKeyCharacteristics
1.EmotionalIntelligenceUnderPressure
High-stakessituationsenhanceemotions—fear,rush, frustration.Leadersmustbeawareofwheretheyareatan
emotionallevelandbeabletomanageitsothattheydonot gointopanic.Emotionalintelligencealsoinvolves understandinghowothersreactunderpressuresothat leaderscanleadtheirteamswithempathyandstability
2.SituationalAwareness
Edgeleadersaremoresensitivetowhatishappening throughouttheenvironment.Theydrawinhugeamountsof information,filterout,andaresensitivetopotentialthreats oropportunitiesonthehorizon.Thisenablesquick,but prudent,decision-making.
3.ClarityinChaos
Oneofthebeststrengthsofhigh-stakesleadersistheir abilitytocutthroughcomplexityandprovideclear guidance.Theydissectuncertaintyintothingsthatcanbe acteduponandmaintainteamsontrackevenasconditions change.
4.BiasManagement
Understress,thebrainwillreverttocognitive bias—confirmationbias,lossaversion,overconfidence. Savvyleadersunderstandthesetrapsandusedecision processes,diverseinputs,andanalysistoshieldthemselves fromthem.
5.MoralCourage
Harshenvironmentsusuallybringwiththemethical challenges.Doweoptimizeshareholdervalueoremployee welfare?Dowediscloseasecurityflawnoworwaitfora patchtobeissued?Moralclarityleadersmakedecisions withintegrityandbasedonlong-termtrust.
High-StakesDecision-MakingStrategies 1.PreparefortheUnknown
Planningrelievesemotionalloadofcrisis.Managersneed toperformscenarioplanningexercises,ironout contingencyframeworks,andbringtheirteamsonboard withemergencymechanisms.Thesmoothertheexecution, thesaferandbettertheywillberun.
2.ApplyOODALoop
CreatedbymilitarystrategistJohnBoyd,theOODAloop (Observe,Orient,Decide,Act)isagreatdecision-making frameworkformakingquickdecisions.Itenablesleadersto keeprefiningtheirdecisionsasmoreinformationarrives, beingflexibleinfluidsituations.
3.ApplyDiverseInputs
Thinkingdiversityactsasasafeguardagainstshort-sighted thinking.Duringcrises,drawinputsfromcross-functional teams,front-lineparticipants,andexternalspecialists.A broadoutlookincreasestheprobabilityofmakingdecisions thatarebalancedandinnovative.
4.SpeakwithClarity
Straightforward,concisecommunicationsbuildtrustand supportalignedaction.Misinformationcanletdangerspiral outofcontrolinhigh-pressuresituations.Leadersneedto craftkeymessages,rehearseansweringquestions,and reportnewsstraight—badnewsincluded.
5.ReflectandDebrief
Whenpressureislifted,greatleaderspausetoreflect.What worked?Whatdidnotwork?Whatwerethemistaken assumptions?Astructureddebriefproducesinstitutional learningandpreparesforthefuture.
LeadingPeopleThroughPressure Inadditiontomakingdecisions,high-stakesleadershipis leadingthehumanfactor.Fatigueandfeararerealities. Leadersfamiliarwiththeemotionallandscape—without abandoningcommonsensetopanic—canconstructmore resilient,morecommittedteams.
-OfferPsychological
Safety Safespacesareessentialwhereteamsmustfeelcomfortable tospeakup,voiceideas,orraiseconcerns,evenwhile operatingatanintenseleveloftension.Psychological safetyisfoundationalforhigh-performance,adaptablework underpressure.
-EmbraceVulnerability
"Idon'tknow,"theysay,inviteinput,andsharewhatthey're learning—vulnerableleadersbuildtrustandresilience. Vulnerabilityisnotweakness—it'sleadershipstrength coupledwithconfidenceandclarity
-AcknowledgeSmallWins
Seeingprogress—regardlessofhowmuchturbulencethere is—helpskeepmoraleinplace.Leadersmustrecord milestones,celebrateeffort,andofferglimpsesofhopein difficultenvironments.
TheFutureofHigh-StakesLeadership Astheworldbecomesmoreconnected,high-stakes interactionswillbecomemorecommon,aswillthestakes. Climatecatastrophes,politicalsurprises,databreaches,AI threats—executivesinallindustrieswillbecompelledto becomemastersatleadingattheedge.
Organizationsthatdevelopleadersofhigh-stakesskillswill beinapositiontorecover,adapt,andflourish.This involvesinvestinginleadershipdevelopmentexercisesthat mimichigh-pressureconditions,adaptiveleadershipmodels training,andincorporatingemotionalintelligenceinto leadershipprofiles.
Conclusion Leadingattheedgeisnotheroics—it'spresence,purpose, andprecision.It'sbeingunflappableduringthestorm,the voiceofreasonduringtimesofconfusion,andtheenergy thatconvertspressureintoprogress.
Whateveryourposition—aCEOsurfingthedisruption,a teamleaderstartingonacrucialpivot,orarisingleader expectingthenextcrisis—high-stakesleadershipisno longeraluxury—it'sarequirement.
The CEO’s Compass: Navigating Strategy, Culture, and Innovation Atatimeofdizzyingspeedofchange,theCEO
positionhasneverbeenmorecomplex—andmore critical.CEOsarenotmerelythemostseasoned decision-makers;they'revisionaries,culture-leaders, innovation-drivers,andthesteadyhandthatguides companiesthroughtempests.AneffectiveCEOisa compass,providingdirectionsostrategy,culture,and innovationareallalignedtodrivelong-termgrowthand resiliency
ThisarticledescribeshowcontemporaryCEOsneedtofind theintersectionofthesethreespheresinordertosucceedas leadersinanageofdisruption.
SettingStrategicDirection:VisionwithAgility ThecoreofanyCEOroleisresponsibilityforsetting strategyandimplementingstrategy.Butstrategicthinking intoday'smarketplaceismorethanmakingfive-year forecastsorplanningquarterly.Itdemandsvisionaryvision, adaptability,andacommitmenttolearningenroute.
Long-TermVisionandReal-TimeFlexibility CEOsmustreconcilelong-termvisionwithreal-time
flexibility.Strategicdecisionsmusthaveacoremissionand purposeandyetleavespaceforflexibilityinthemanner goalsareachieved.CEOsmustthinkaheadandnotbeheld backbyshort-termproblemswithglobalsupplychain disruptions,changesinconsumerbehavior,ortechnology revolutions.
Data-Informed,People-DrivenStrategy Thoughdataanalysishasturnedintoapre-requisitefor decision-making,CEOsmustnotdependexcessivelyon figuresattheexpenseofintuition,experience,and proximitywithpeople.Itisonlythroughthelatterthatthey canallowthe"what"ofdatatomeetthe"why"ofpeople. Thebeststrategicleadersaredependentuponquantitative analysisbaseduponqualitativeintuition.
CultureastheEngineofExecution Cultureisabstract—butitsimpactonperformance, innovation,retention,andtrustisconcrete.CEOssetthe toneforacompanyculturebywhatmatterstothem,how theyspeak,andhowconsistentlytheyspeak.Toxicculture candrownaotherwisegreatstrategy,andhealthyculture fuelsexecution.
