Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
A seasoned Business & Finance Technology and Data Protection Professional with a value-adding, cross-functional skillset and a results-orientated track record of over twenty-five years of leadership experience. I am passionate about Advising and Partnering with Executive Leaders on how to improve their business operations and outcomes by optimising and automating their people, processes, data and technology while implementing governance and privacy best practices to provide assurance of compliance with regulatory requirements. My experience is underpinned by a professional Fellow of CPA (Australia) qualification, in addition to being a Fellow of the Governance Institute of Australia and holding a Graduate Certificate of Accounting, a Masters in IS (Business Information Technology) and several Privacy and industry certifications. To further bolster and consolidate my knowledge, I have joined Maastricht University's two-year Advanced Master of Laws (LL.M) degree programme in Privacy, Cybersecurity and Data Management as part of the 2025-27 cohort. Key Specialties: Leads and influences at all management levels • Gains the trust and respect of senior executives • Articulates and sets clear vision and direction • Establishes and embeds frameworks, processes and policies • Drives the adoption of appropriate Data, Privacy and Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) measures across Business, Technology and Information Security • A versatile Change Agent who is willing to challenge and then change the status quo • Builds key partnerships and alliances across stakeholder groups • Participative and inclusive engagement approach • Delivers continuous people, process and technology improvement Business Functions collaborated with, at an Global Enterprise level, include: Finance, Management Accounting & Reporting • Treasury & Taxation • Information Technology & Cybersecurity • Risk, Assurance & Audit • Procurement & Logistics • Operations Research & Effectiveness • Human Resources & Talent Management • Medical, Insurance & Legal • Entertainment & Hospitality • Media & Marketing • Facilities & Security • Corporate Affairs & Communications • Mergers, Acquisitions & Divestments • Company Secretariat • Investor & Value Management • Safety & Environment
Accountable for leading Qiddiya's Finance Digital Enablement & Automation by developing and executing process, systems and digital solutions across Group and Corporate Finance, partnering across all business areas to deliver tangible outcomes and benefits. In alignment with strategic organisational objectives, identify, evaluate and implement innovative solutions to streamline and automate financial processes across the organisation while leading the delivery of high-impact finance digital and automation projects across cross-functional teams.
Speaking & Panelist Engagements: - Data Innovation Summit MEA 2026 - Dubai [Speaker - Oct 2026] https://datainnovationsummit.com/region/mea/speakers/ - Middle East Finance Transformation Conference (MEFTC) 2026 [Panelist - June 2026] https://www.linkedin.com/posts/middle-east-finance-transformation-conference_meftc2026-financetransformation-digitalfinance-activity-7477044519562092544-S2uE - The CXO Dinner: From AI Adoption to AI-Native Organizations [Panelist - May 2026] https://event.idc.com/event/from-ai-adoption-to-ai-native-enterprises https://www.linkedin.com/posts/unifyapps_ai-ainative-riyadh-activity-7458192167702913024-Thub - Third Asia IT Ministers’ Summit – Bahrain [Speaker] Invited to address the IT Ministers from the wider Asia region on technology in education - Storage World Middle East [Speaker] - Wireless Middle East [Speaker]
Led the onsite delivery and embedding of Data Governance and Management best practices, for one of the largest Financial Institutions in Saudi Arabia, driving the attainment of the National Data Office (NDMO) and Central Bank (SAMA) compliance, while ensuring alignment with Data Protection and Privacy requirements, including PDPL. Accountable for conducting gap analysis and risk assessments to provide assurance across data domains; leveraging the outcomes to develop an optimised Target Operating Model, including a Data Governance and Management Office and associated policies, frameworks and processes that align with regulations, standards and the organisation's policies.
Led the regional Business Technology, Data, Privacy, IT Services and Security functions across MENA with the key objective to support and drive the adoption of the group's business technology and finance transformation initiatives, including regional ERP implementation, by further uplifting the business and people's data and technology capability and maturity in the region. Led the development of the nearshoring capability for the EMEA IT delivery function. Partnered with the CFO, CDO and MENA executive leadership team to identify and implement regional strategic initiatives. Operated as the primary liaison with the Omnicom Group IT, EMEA Technology teams and global leads to deliver group initiatives to ensure full compliance with global IT (ISO27001), privacy, data, privacy and security standards. Collaborated with Executives to define and manage the corporate risk appetite through the formation of a Risk Committee. Led both client and internal data, privacy and information systems assurance and compliance activities across the MENA Region while managing the regional Agency Privacy Champions. Worked alongside Regional Management/Counsel, external counsel and the central EMEA Privacy Team and DPO to support the regional agency teams in ensuring data responsibility, privacy and compliance with clients, vendors, service providers and wider industry stakeholders.
As their Trusted Advisor, I partnered with Owners and Executive Management to unlock the full capabilities of their business to increase Customer and Shareholder Value. By combining our unique F·I·S·H Framework with comprehensive experience advising various organisations ranging from start-ups to listed, global organisations, across diverse industries, I optimised and integrated people, process and technologies enabling their full potential to be achieved whilst defining and implementing appropriate governance, risk and compliance policies and processes.