Syed Mateenullah
Dubai,UAE
Summary
Dynamic and results-driven professional with a proven track record in strategic leadership and visionary planning. Expertise in P&L management, financial oversight, and business development, driving market expansion and operational excellence. Skilled in process optimisation, stakeholder engagement, and relationship management to foster innovation and change management. Committed to talent development and team leadership while ensuring compliance and effective risk management.
Overview
35
35
years of professional experience
5
5
years of post-secondary education
Work history
Managing Director (Middle East)
Konecranes Middle East FZE, Demag Cranes & Components (ME) FZE
Dubai, Middle East
09.2014 - Current
- Provided executive oversight for a workforce of 200+ cross-functional professionals, cultivating a performance, accountability, and innovation culture.
- Held full P&L responsibility, including budgeting, forecasting, and financial governance, ensuring fiscal discipline and sustainable growth.
- Forged key partnerships with customer, financial institutions, vendors, and subcontractors, enabling agile supply chain operations and scalable business development.
- Championed large-scale organizational transformation programs, doubling operational efficiency and aligning business functions to strategic goals.
- Built strategic alliances with EPC contractors and key stakeholders, unlocking high-value project opportunities and enhancing long-term regional competitiveness.
- Fostered a collaborative, high-performance culture by mentoring teams, improving interdepartmental alignment, and enhancing stakeholder coordination.
- Led high-impact projects from concept to execution while navigating organizational change with resilience and agility.
- Designed and executed customer-centric strategies that significantly elevated service delivery and client satisfaction, positioning the organization as a trusted industry partner.
- Proactively assumed expanded responsibilities, driving cross-functional success and reinforcing team morale during periods of transformation.
- Championed workflow optimization initiatives by identifying process gaps and implementing strategic improvements, enhancing operational efficiency.
- Orchestrated transformative growth, driving a 175% increase in revenue and a 266% surge in profitability over five years through strategic leadership and operational excellence.
- Designed and executed high-impact market strategies, resulting in a 25% expansion in regional market share, solidifying Konecranes' presence in the Middle East.
- Revitalized an underperforming equipment business, leading to EUR 10 million in new orders within the first year and propelling the region into the top six globally within two years.
- Reengineered the commercial structure by realigning sales & operational territories, setting clear performance targets, and modernizing incentive schemes, resulting in sustained business turnaround.
- Secured preferred manufacturer status with Saudi Aramco, significantly strengthening the company’s position in the energy sector and contributing to nearly 30% of annual sales.
- Delivered accurate, timely month-end, quarter-end, and year-end financial reports, enabling informed strategic decision-making and enhancing transparency between actuals and forecasts.
- Strengthened financial planning and control by refining budgeting and forecasting processes across all four entities, leading to improved resource allocation and profitability management.
- Facilitated and led weekly cross-functional meetings focused on sales performance, manufacturing operations, and project management to ensure alignment, drive strategic initiatives, and maintain operational efficiency across departments.
- Directed monthly reviews of Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable, conducted comprehensive variance analysis, and oversaw the preparation and presentation of both operational and financial reports to support informed decision-making and ensure fiscal accountability.
- Consolidated four office locations into a centralized regional hub, driving operational efficiency and collaboration while delivering annual cost savings of €500K through reduced overhead and optimized resource utilization.
Finance Manager (UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain)
ThyssenKrupp Elevator Middle East LLC
Dubai
09.2008 - 09.2014
- Secured a strategic currency exchange partnership, optimizing Euro-to-AED transactions for factory payments and achieving €300K in annual savings, significantly improving financial efficiency and cost control.
- Managed free cash flow, working capital, budgeting, and risk functions across Middle East operations.
- Ensured compliance with financial covenants, built strong partnerships with banks and trade partners, and implemented strategies to mitigate FX risks.
- Led the successful migration from Morris Accounting to SAP.
Finance & Administration Manager
H.H Shk Mohammed Engineer’s Office
Dubai
09.2004 - 09.2008
- Enhanced variance analysis capabilities, providing leadership with sharper financial insights and actionable intelligence to drive performance across profit centres.
- Project Costing and Cost Control.
- Conducted monthly follow-up meetings with individual branches and the Project Department to review performance results, analyze trade receivables, and address key operational challenges, ensuring proactive issue resolution and alignment with overall business objectives.
- Defined and monitored KPIs across key departments, driving cost leadership, operational excellence, and strategic decision-making.
Various Finance & Accounting positions
UAE
01.1991 - 01.2004
- Steered Collavino Gulf ME operations in partnership with First Gulf Bank during a two-year transitional phase, ensuring business continuity and financial stability amid a critical partner dispute.
- Successfully overturned a SAR 1.4 million tax claim by ZATCA through meticulous regulatory analysis and evidence-backed advocacy, mitigating financial exposure and reinforcing compliance integrity.
Education
Master of Business Administration (MBA) - MBA Finance
Bombay University
Bombay, India 06.1989 - 04.1991
Bachelor of Commerce, Computers (BCom Computers) - Accounting, Commerce, Business Law & Computers
Osmania University
Hyderabad, India 06.1986 - 03.1989
Professional Development Program - undefined
Alto University
Skills
- Strategic Leadership
- Visionary Planning
- P&L Management
- Financial Oversight
- Business Development
- Market Expansion
- Operational Excellence
- Process Optimization
- Stakeholder Engagement
- Relationship Management
- Talent Development
- Team Leadership
- Risk Management
- Compliance
- Change Management
- Innovation
Certification
- Konecranes Leadership Program, Alto University, Helsinki, Finland
- Business Management Strategies
- Sales Methodologies & Management
- Sales & Account Management
- B2B Sales Training
- Negotiation Skills
- Building Customer Relationship & Customer Management
- Coaching & Mentoring
- Financial Controlling & Reporting
- Budgeting & Variance Analysis
- Net Working Capital
- Anti-Corruption
- Antitrust Law
- Financial Competence in the Negotiation Process between Customer - Sales - Finance
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