Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, September, 2026: Deloitte Middle East brought together high-potential finance executives from across the Middle East for its Next Generation CFO Academy in Riyadh – the immersive leadership program designed to prepare its inaugural generation of finance leaders for the evolving demands of the Chief Financial Officer role.
Held at the Mandarin Oriental, Riyadh, on September 15–16, the Academy forms part of Deloitte’s broader commitment to developing future C-suite talent across the Middle East, as part of its CFO Program. The program combined practical, interactive learning with perspectives from Deloitte experts and senior business and performance leaders, helping participants explore the broader capabilities required of today’s CFO, along with the future skills and capabilities needed to lead.
Prior to the commencement of the CFO Academy, Deloitte hosted the closeout of its Next Generation CIO & CISO Academy on 14 September, which was held this past February in Muscat. The closeout reunited program participants in Riyadh, providing an opportunity to reconnect with peers in the technology and cybersecurity sector, exchange insights, and reflect on the real-life impact of their learnings within their organizations. The closeout was led by program leaders Eliza Lozan, Partner and Privacy Governance & Compliance Leader; Hesham El Attar, Partner – Cyber; and Dr. Fareed Aslam, Management Consultant at Deloitte Middle East.
As organizations across the Middle East continue to transform, the CFO mandate is becoming increasingly broad. Beyond financial stewardship and running the finance function, CFOs are increasingly expected to contribute to enterprise strategy, lead transformation, and act as catalysts for change.
Javed Iqbal, Partner and CFO Program Leader at Deloitte Middle East, said: “The CFO role is changing rapidly. Future finance leaders need to combine strong financial stewardship with the ability to drive transformation, embrace technology, and contribute meaningfully to enterprise strategy. The Academy is about helping emerging leaders build that broader perspective and prepare for what the role increasingly demands.”
The two-day program explored this evolving mandate through sessions including ‘The Four Faces of Finance’ and ‘Leading Change in Finance Transformation,’ along with discussions on business chemistry, culture transformation, and how finance leaders can succeed in their first year as CFOs. Participants also explored emerging priorities through elective sessions covering the evolving role of finance functions; cost pressures; digital, ERP and AI transformation; and shaping the finance talent of the future.
Bringing perspectives from beyond traditional finance, participants also heard from Olympic medal winner and presenter Jan van der Bij, who led a session on what it takes to lead with a winning mindset.
James Smith, Partner, Assurance and Deputy Dean of the Next Generation CFO Academy at Deloitte Middle East, said: “Becoming an effective CFO requires more than technical expertise. It requires the ability to lead, challenge, and make decisions in an increasingly complex environment. The Academy gives future finance leaders the opportunity to broaden their perspective, learn from one another, and develop the judgment required at the C-suite level.”
Patrycja Oselkowska, Partner and Middle East Growth Leader at Deloitte, added: “Developing the next generation of leaders is critical to the Middle East’s continued transformation. By investing in high-potential talent today, we are helping build the leadership capabilities that organizations across the region will need tomorrow.”
The Deloitte Middle East Next Generation CFO Academy forms part of a wider regional leadership development initiative, supporting the next generation of leaders through continued learning, knowledge sharing, and professional networks.-Ends-