Virtual CFO
Fractional CFO
A fractional CFO gives a UAE company senior finance judgement on a part time basis: a monthly review of cash, margin and variances, help preparing a board or investor pack, and a second opinion before a pricing, hiring or free zone versus mainland decision, without the cost of a full time finance director.
13-week cash forecast
Illustrative client · August 2026
AED
- Cash today
- AED 244,220
- Lowest week ahead
- 239,800
- Largest outflow
- Payroll, 46,300
Illustrative. An example of the document, not a client's figures.
What the role covers
A fractional CFO does not replace your bookkeeper or accountant. The role starts once the management accounts are closed: reading the profit and loss and balance sheet, connecting them to cash on hand and cash due, and setting out what the numbers mean for the decision in front of you, whether that is a new hire, a price change, a lease on a second office, or opening a branch in a new free zone.
A typical month
Most engagements run around a monthly review call once your books close in Xero, QuickBooks Online or Zoho Books: what moved, what drove it, and what it means for the next 30, 60 and 90 days. Between calls, the fractional CFO is available for the decisions that come up without warning, such as a supplier raising prices or a customer asking for extended payment terms.
Built around the UAE calendar
The calendar behind the work follows UAE dates: Corporate Tax is due within 9 months of the end of the tax period, and a business that has not registered for Corporate Tax on time faces an administrative penalty of AED 10,000, waived if the first return is filed within 7 months of the first tax period ending. VAT-registered businesses also carry a recurring filing rhythm on top of that. Both sit in the plan so cash for tax is never a surprise.
Who this is for
Startups, agencies, ecommerce sellers and trading or holding companies that have outgrown gut-feel decisions but are not ready to carry a full time finance director: a founder tracking everything alone, a business moving fast enough that last quarter's assumptions no longer hold, or a company heading into a fundraise, a bank facility or a sale where the numbers need to hold up under scrutiny. See how it works or the pricing page for how time is scoped.
Questions
Frequently asked questions: Fractional CFO
How many hours a month does a fractional CFO engagement usually take?
It depends on your stage and what is happening in the business. A steady company might need a few hours a month; one heading into a raise or a sale needs more. We scope hours to what is actually in front of you.
Can a fractional CFO help with a bank facility or trade finance application?
Yes. We prepare the financial statements, projections and narrative most UAE banks ask for, and can join the lender conversation if that helps move things along.
Do you replace the need for our free zone accountant or auditor?
No. A fractional CFO handles forward looking planning and decision support. Your Corporate Tax return, VAT returns and any audit requirement tied to your free zone or licence type still need to be handled by your accountant, tax agent or auditor of record.
Does this work differently for a DMCC or JAFZA company than a mainland one?
The advisory work itself is similar. What changes is the regulatory backdrop we plan around, including whether the entity qualifies as a Qualifying Free Zone Person and what that means for its tax rate on Qualifying Income.
How is this different from a bookkeeper?
A bookkeeper records what already happened. A fractional CFO uses those records to help you decide what happens next: pricing, hiring, cash timing, fundraising.
How many hours a month does this take?
You can start with a standing monthly review plus ad hoc questions between calls. The scope is agreed up front and can flex with your stage.
Do you replace my controller or accountant?
No. A fractional CFO sits above the day-to-day close and works alongside whoever keeps your books, whether that is us or your existing team.
What is included in fractional CFO?
Fractional CFO covers monthly finance review call covering cash, margin and the month's variances and a rolling cash position and runway view. The exact scope is agreed and set out in writing before work starts, so you know precisely what is and is not covered before the first deliverable arrives.
Related services
- Virtual CFOFP&AOngoing financial planning and analysis: budget-to-actual tracking, margin and cost analysis, and the monthly pack that explains why the numbers moved.
- Virtual CFOBudgetingAn annual budget built from your real numbers, broken out by month and department, that becomes the baseline every later report is measured against.
- Virtual CFOKPI designA short list of the numbers that actually run your business, defined once and tracked consistently, instead of a dashboard nobody opens.
Industries
- Startups and VC-backed companiesBookkeeping and reporting for early-stage, venture-backed companies watching burn, runway and investor reporting closely.
- SaaSBookkeeping and reporting for subscription software businesses tracking recurring revenue, deferred revenue and burn.
- Ecommerce (Amazon and Shopify)Bookkeeping for online sellers on Amazon, Shopify, Etsy and their own storefronts, built around clean payout and sales tax data.
- Agencies and consultanciesBookkeeping for marketing agencies, design studios and consulting firms billing clients on retainers and project fees.
Next step
Talk to the team that would run your books
A short call covers your setup, your software and what a first month would look like. You get a written scope and price after it.