Mahmood Arsalan

Brand Matrix is a business management consultancy in UAE where I have been involved in feasibility studies, arrangement of financing facilities for the clients, outsourcing of finance and accounting functions, business plans, market studies and implementation of ERP software. The main client is JS Lootah Group where I have been involved in the consultancy work. This is a setting up of the whole finance department and their processed and procedures.

Al Islami is the major supplier of frozen food to the Emirate and is recognized for its loyal customer base in the Gulf region for over 30 years. It is a member company of the Lootah group who is into many business ventures in the Emirates since the starting days of re-union. Al Farooj being the subsidiary owns and operates the restaurants branded as Al Farooj in Middle East, Africa and Europe.

I am primarily responsible for the treasury functions of the FMCG and the finance functions of the subsidiary, Al Farooj. I am also involved in financial evaluation of any new projects, corporate reporting and financial analysis.

Al Hanoo is the power sector and real estate arm of Al Hanoo Holding, KSA based in Sharjah, UAE. It is a subsidiary of Al Hanoo Group of Companies, Saudi Arabia and master developer of the Nejoum Islands Project of 60M Sq. Ft., Sharjah Auto Park and Emirates Industrial City. They are in the process of setting up a power plant with coordination of Government of Emirate of Sharjah for which I was hired.

I was primarily responsible for finance and accounts functions of power project and real estate. I was also involved in the inventory pricing and operational aspects of the sales of plots/villas. With respect to the real estate industry, I was involved in financial evaluation of any new projects, project financial analysis, product costing and revenue analysis.

LMK Resources is a petroleum information technology company based in Mauritius, Pakistan, UAE, Malaysia, Trinidad and USA. It was a subsidiary of Halliburton International Inc. (USA) till 2006 and later acquired by Actis Capital, a private equity fund of UK.

I joined as Manager Finance/HR. During the tenure the Board of Directors gave me the additional charge of “Company Secretary”. I was awarded “Best Manager of the Year Award” in 2002-03.

I was in the Executive Management Team of the group where all strategic decisions were being taken. Further, I was also a part of the team who did the transactions of sale of Shares to Halliburton, later buy back of shares from Halliburton and lastly sale of part of shares to Actis Capital Group. In addition to this role, I was responsible for mergers and acquisition activity undertaken by LMK Resources.

Elixir is a global software development company, having its other offices in Australia, England, Czech Republic, Switzerland and Singapore.

I worked there as Manager Finance with additional responsibilities of Manager HR.

AVA is a manufacturing unit of Artal for the supply of drinking water. Artal has KFC, Herry’s Bread and Poultry as its other projects. I was working as Assistant Manager Finance.