The financial expertise that used to be reserved for large corporations is now accessible to every UAE SME.

You Don’t Need a Full-Time CFO. You Need a Fractional One.

There is a moment that most growing SME owners recognise. Your business has reached a point where the numbers are too complex for a bookkeeper but not yet at the scale where a full-time CFO makes financial sense. You are making significant financial decisions — pricing, investment, hiring, financing — without the financial expertise to make them well. And you know it.

In the UAE, where the cost of a full-time CFO can exceed AED 600,000 per year in salary and benefits, fractional CFO services bridge this gap in a way that makes financial sense for growing SMEs.

What a Fractional CFO Actually Does

• Financial Strategy and Planning: Developing a financial strategy aligned with the business’s goals, including financial modelling and scenario planning.
• Management Reporting: Designing and producing monthly management accounts that give the leadership team a clear, accurate picture of financial performance.
• Cash Flow Management: Monitoring cash flow closely, identifying potential shortfalls in advance, and developing strategies to manage working capital effectively.
• Fundraising Support: Preparing the financial model, supporting the due diligence process, and advising on valuation and deal structure.
• Tax and Compliance Oversight: Ensuring the business is compliant with Corporate Tax, VAT, and payroll taxes.

When Do You Need a Fractional CFO?

• Your revenue has exceeded AED 5 million and you are still managing finances yourself or with a bookkeeper
• You are planning to raise external capital in the next 12 months
• You are considering a significant investment — new premises, new equipment, new market entry
• You have multiple revenue streams or entities and you are not sure which parts of your business are actually profitable
• You are spending significant time on financial matters that are distracting you from running the business

At FMCA, our accounting advisory services are built around the concept of the fractional CFO — providing SMEs with the financial expertise they need, at the level they need it, without the cost of a full-time hire. Our team brings Big Four backgrounds and deep UAE market experience to every engagement.