Mohamed Elkattan
Dubai
Summary
Senior finance professional in Fast Moving Consumer Goods and Real Estate industries, with 20+ years of experience in commercial finance, business controllership, budget management of trade investment with customers and distributors across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, planning and execution of pricing and trade promotions for the chocolate, gum, snacking, and pet care categories, route to market implementation including setting sales and distribution controls for traditional and modern trade channels, finance shared service operations and change management.
My objective is to take on a new challenge as a finance leader and collaborate with stakeholders to deploy business strategy, improve the business model, deliver value to the shareholders, and develop people capabilities and careers.
Overview
22
22
years of professional experience
Work History
Director of Internal Control & Governance
Majid Al Futtaim Properties
04.2020 - Current
- Closed 2024 financial year with an unprecedented record of zero overdue internal audit points for MAF Properties including corporate office, Asset Management, and Development businesses.
- Zero open Management Letter Points from prior year external audit report as a single point of contact for MAF Properties management responses and reviewer of implemented control actions.
- Launched all internal control key performance indicators tracking with clearly defined risk and control ownerships across business units and daily tracking of progress.
- Recognized by “Spark of the quarter” award awarded by IA team for top contributors to control improvements during Q4 2024.
- I reduced average time taken to close an internal audit action from 13.7 months in 2022 to 2.9 months in Q3 2025.
- I improved the quality of controls and risk mitigation actions, which was evident in the reduction of repeated audit finding from 17% of total observations in 2022 to 0.5% in Q3 2025
- I led the Governance Forum which reviewed and tracked all control actions, including performing key policy compliance and control reviews and self assessments.
- Led the annual cycles of policy, procedures, and delegation of authority reviews to ensure all business compliance requirements are up to date with clear roles and responsibilities, including implementation follow through and reporting to the Governance and Risk Committee.
- Improved the Governance capabilities of the business through launching Internal Control and Governance E-Learning which was completed with a pass rating by over 1000 employees.
- A MAF induction ambassador representing MAF Properties business from 2023 to present date.
- Cultivated a positive work environment that fostered employee engagement through key partnerships across the business, the shared service centers, and the audit teams.
- (Location: Dubai)
Director of Finance Shared Services
Majid Al Futtaim Properties
04.2020 - 02.2022
- Achieved the MAFP Cash targets for 2 consecutive years through identifying opportunities for business negotiations with suppliers, reporting cash risks and outlook monthly, including progress tracking of planned negotiations and contractual initiatives.
- Completed the MAFP finance move to Global Solutions shared service center including Service Level Agreements, KPI’s, people organization, and control roles and responsibilities between shared service center and business unit finance teams covering Procure to Pay, Record to Report, Acquire to Retire, and Order to Cash business processes.
- Completed Oracle Fusion ERP upgrade go-live on time as MAF Properties Finance single point of contact and member of core implementation team.
- Led several automations and process improvements including project payment workflow and scheduler for contractor and consultant payments, standardized supplier reconciliation templates, and escalation matrix for unreconciled supplier statements.
- Led the review and documentation of finance process maps, desktop procedures, and closing checklists across all business units for the areas of Accounts Payable, GL accounting, and Accounts Receivable.
- (Location: Dubai)
Strategic Revenue Management Lead (Commercial Finance)
Mars Gulf
10.2017 - 03.2020
- I led cross functional pricing recommendation for the Saudi market based on category price partition insights that delivered incremental net profit of $4.5m in 2018 including price protection plan and monitoring of price corridors with neighboring markets.
- I led a cross functional team that implemented a value leadership program delivering net savings of $ 4.3m for Saudi market trade investments in 2019 covering business development agreements with retail customers, trade discounts, and trade freshness costs.
- I led a demand team of experts to build and implement the 2019 trade promotion strategy from key pricing and profitability insights to a clear and actionable customer marketing plan for all channels and key accounts across the GCC.
- I completed the strategic channel and customer segmentation in partnership with Sales and Marketing teams including setting trade investment guidelines, customer P&L’s, and growth plans.
- I delivered incremental revenue of $1m from introducing exclusive product range for the top 2 retailers in Saudi and UAE through retail data insights on trade activities and ROI performance during different seasons and retailer themed events.
- I performed post activity reviews that formed a library of all key trade activations including profitability insights on actual sales performance and optimization of discount depth and off-shelf presence for sustainable share gains.
- I partnered with the Global Revenue Management team in launching business unit return on investment tools and delivering trainings for the local demand and supply community.
- Mars, Incorporated is a food manufacturing company with worldwide operations in business segments of Chocolate, Sugar and Gum, Food, and Petcare. With lots of renowned brands like Galaxy, Snickers, Twix, and M&M’s, the Saudi & Gulf unit (GCC) is the hub of organization’s future growth ambitions, generating revenues of over USD 600 Million.
- (Location: Dubai)
Gulf Financial Controller
Mars Gulf
06.2015 - 10.2017
- Landed 2016 cash target $3.5m over plan through leading the cross functional working capital committee.
- A key member of the finance leadership team that implemented the Gulf shared service centre for financial operations covering accounts Payable, intercompany, and payroll.
- Monthly review of supply and trade stock covers and product freshness actions with the supply team, including application of sales reversals and review of freshness provisions.
- Led a highly engaged team of financial operation specialists scoring 96% percentile (Gallup) in 2017 associate engagement survey.
- Maintained over 90% closing checklist reviews happening on time every month, 100% resolution of segregation of duty risks quarterly, and Zero SUD’s or open management letter points for 2016 external audit.
- Implemented the new financial control organization structure for the full financial control team post the MARS and Wrigley merger and supported the talent placement process.
- (Location: Dubai)
Sales Finance (Commercial Finance) Manager
Mars Gulf
06.2012 - 06.2015
- Completed the rollout of a route to market project that transformed the partnership with the Saudi traditional trade delivering incremental net profit of $4.5m from cost to serve model efficiencies by 2015.
- Performed quarterly review and update to traditional trade customer segmentation and wholesale trade discounts based on actual customer performance against agreed targets.
- Quarterly traditional trade deployment trips across Saudi including sample size validation of customer segmentation criteria, distributor trade execution, and customer feedback on the program.
- Implemented the distributor van sales tracking tools including tracking of trade assets by store, sales journey plans, and van sales palm device controls.
- Support to Sales negotiations of business development agreements with the modern trade retailers including scenario P&L’s and return on investment of different agreement rebates, displays, check-outs, Gondola ends, in store leaflet features, and other sales costs.
- Monthly review and approval of the distributor debit notes, use of in market fund budget, trade accruals, and updated forecast.
- Simplified the receivables collection process with the Saudi distributor through clarifying the roles and responsibilities of different departments leading to a faster invoice to pay process, from 1 week on average, to 2 days for all categories.
- (Location: Jeddah)
Central Financial Analyst
Mars Gulf
05.2010 - 06.2012
- Managed the preparation of financial forecasts, both short and long-term including the Operating Plan.
- Implemented and rolled out new Mars financial planning principles and simplified the operating plan cross-functional input tools reducing the overall time and effort invested in the planning cycle.
- Performed pricing recommendations for new products including reviews to product pricing and recommended trade margins for different brands and product formats across the GCC.
- Implementation of price changes and distributor stock revaluation debit notes.
- Monitoring to standard product margins due to changes in factors like transfer prices, currency rates, and import freight costs including financial evaluation of alternative supply options.
- (Location: Dubai)
GCC Business Analyst – Chocolate Category
Mars Gulf
02.2008 - 05.2010
- Built a self-service tool “ROI” (Return On Investment) calculator to support Marketing activity ideation stage and brand innovation scenarios.
- Performed financial evaluation and recommendations to all marketing pricing and trade related activities for the Chocolate category, including range rationalization for non-performing products and promotion activities.
- Developed and maintained the Sales & Marketing quarterly product mix report which groups all stock keeping units into 3 categories based on their positive, negative, or neutral contribution to sales margins.
- Maintained all Chocolate products pricing sheets and updates to costing and inventory valuation.
- (Location: Dubai)
Financial Planning Analyst
Mars Gulf
03.2007 - 02.2008
- Built and maintained the management decision making tool, the “Balanced Score Card” including periodical KPI updates.
- Prepared the office of the president briefing presentations of the business unit’s financial performance.
- Consolidated forecast data from different departments to deliver detailed business plans.
- (Location: Dubai)
Financial Planning analyst (FPPS Analyst)
Mars Gulf
12.2004 - 03.2007
- Carried out a comprehensive documentation of the financial period close process for the GCC unit highlighting best practice guidelines and efficient use of systems leading to a reduction of monthly closing time by 1 day (from 5 to 4 days).
- Maintained and updated the data interface and reconciliation between SAP ERP system and the MARS Financial Planning and Profitability System (FPPS).
- (Location: Dubai)
General Accountant
Novartis Egypt Consumer Health Care
09.2003 - 11.2004
- Improved financial accuracy by conducting thorough account reconciliations and adjusting journal entries.
- Assisted with budget preparation, monitoring expenses, and providing timely updates to management on variances.
- (Location: Cairo)
Education
BA - Political Economy, minor in Economics
The American University in Cairo
Cairo02.2003
Skills
- Internal Control
- Finance Operations and shared services
- Change Management
- Commercial and Sales Finance
- Financial Planning and Budgeting
- Strategic planning
- Financial Reporting
- Leading cross functional teams
- Employee development
- Decision-making
- Problem-solving
- Analytical thinking
Additional Information
Strategic Revenue Management
Governance & Control at Mars
Advanced Co-Piloting (FP&A)
High Impact Presentations
Leadership at Mars LM1 – (for Managers)
Leadership at Mars LM2 – (for Managers of Managers)
Situational Leadership
High Performance Collaboration
7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Influencing Without Authority
Crucial Conversations
Crucial Confrontations
SAP Finance Module & Reporting Interface
Timeline
Director of Internal Control & Governance
Majid Al Futtaim Properties
04.2020 - Current
Director of Finance Shared Services
Majid Al Futtaim Properties
04.2020 - 02.2022
Strategic Revenue Management Lead (Commercial Finance)
Mars Gulf
10.2017 - 03.2020
Gulf Financial Controller
Mars Gulf
06.2015 - 10.2017
Sales Finance (Commercial Finance) Manager
Mars Gulf
06.2012 - 06.2015
Central Financial Analyst
Mars Gulf
05.2010 - 06.2012
GCC Business Analyst – Chocolate Category
Mars Gulf
02.2008 - 05.2010
Financial Planning Analyst
Mars Gulf
03.2007 - 02.2008
Financial Planning analyst (FPPS Analyst)
Mars Gulf
12.2004 - 03.2007
General Accountant
Novartis Egypt Consumer Health Care
09.2003 - 11.2004
BA - Political Economy, minor in Economics
The American University in Cairo