Murtuza Unchwaniwala: A Leading Corporate Strategist Revolutionizing Financial Operations
Murtuza Unchwaniwala
Chief Financial Officer
He is a prominent strategist and tactical finance executive having expertise in financial analysis, strategic planning, M& A, accounting, financial modeling, due diligence, process improvements, financial reporting, long & short term business planning risk management ERP implementations, tax filings, and many other financial aspects. Before joining Al Barari, he spent some extraordinary years with Agility, Ghassan Aboud Group, and Action Hotels Company in leadership positions and brought laurels to their entire financial operations. Murtuza actively involves himself in bridging the gap between financial controls & business strategy to achieve greater operational control & business growth. Let's hear it from him.
Tell us about the major milestones that have been turning points in your career and the motivation that fuels your daily business routine.
The past 20 years in the financial industry have been a series of milestones and some of them have
helped me to sharpen my professional curve. It was during my years with the Action Hotels Group when I was a lead on the company's IPO on London Stock Exchange in 2013 I was instrumental in acquiring IPO for the company. It was after this achievement that we were able to carry out numerous ERP implementations.
Over the years, I have been able to carry out finance specific system automation, treasury functions and fundraising for various projects and brought successful growth to organizations. I believe the role of a CFO demands continuous improvements. The motivation is to meet the challenges of the changing market and develop some thing new every day.
How would you define Al Barari as an organization and its position in the market?
Al Barari is one of the top three luxury real estate developers in the UAE. We focus on highend luxury homes and we are also known as one of the best luxury community management companies in the region. Al Barari is known as a green community where 60 percent of the total development is green and 40 percent is construction. The combination of luxury with green space is very unique from any competitors in UAE.
How do you perceive the technology penetration in the financial department of an organization?
Technology is the tool that every CFO requires to automate the current business and also succeed in that. It's a very challenging era where ERP implementations, AI, robotic processes are norms. There fore, technological tools are extremely crucial in today's world to run any business and carry out successful management and have
Financial leaders to be equipped with trending knowledge & information and be updated about all the changes that are happening in the space of technology
Over the years, I have been able to carry out finance specific system automation, treasury functions and fundraising for various projects and brought successful growth to organizations. I believe the role of a CFO demands continuous improvements. The motivation is to meet the challenges of the changing market and develop some thing new every day.
How would you define Al Barari as an organization and its position in the market?
Al Barari is one of the top three luxury real estate developers in the UAE. We focus on highend luxury homes and we are also known as one of the best luxury community management companies in the region. Al Barari is known as a green community where 60 percent of the total development is green and 40 percent is construction. The combination of luxury with green space is very unique from any competitors in UAE.
How do you perceive the technology penetration in the financial department of an organization?
Technology is the tool that every CFO requires to automate the current business and also succeed in that. It's a very challenging era where ERP implementations, AI, robotic processes are norms. There fore, technological tools are extremely crucial in today's world to run any business and carry out successful management and have
live data analytics of day-to-day business operations and decision making. Financial leaders to be equipped with trending knowledge & information and be updated about all the changes that are happening in the space of technology.
What are the new ways a modern day CFO contributes to organizational growth? What would be your advice for aspiring financial leaders?
From a mindset of reporting and safe guarding of assets, CFO role has moved to manage stakeholders and investors through out. Today Investors and Stakeholders are the key customers for the CFO. The way we look at the business has completely changed and the role of a CFO is not aligned to back end support anymore, it has moved to the front line. We need to innovate ways to take the business to the next level. For this, financial leaders to be equipped with trending knowledge & information and be updated about all the changes that are happening in the space of technology.
What are the changes in the real estate industry that you anticipate and what are the opportunities that you foresee?
The real estate industry has come a long way. Today whether the buyers are investors or end users, their requirements has changed to what it was a decade back. These are some of the developments that are going to occur in the future creating abundant opportunities in the industry.
Murtuza Unchwaniwala, CFO, Al Barari
Murtuza has a master's degree in accounting & financing and several certifications under ACCA, IABFM, AFA and MIPA. He has two decades of experience working across multiple industries and leading their entire gamut of financial operations.
•Hobbies: Cricket, Outdoor sports
•Favorite book: My story by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
•Favorite Travel Destination:
Mauritius
•Favorite Cuisine: French
•Awards & Recognition
Awarded as the Employee of the Year during my association with Agility received the Finance Award during my years in Action Hotels Group
What are the new ways a modern day CFO contributes to organizational growth? What would be your advice for aspiring financial leaders?
From a mindset of reporting and safe guarding of assets, CFO role has moved to manage stakeholders and investors through out. Today Investors and Stakeholders are the key customers for the CFO. The way we look at the business has completely changed and the role of a CFO is not aligned to back end support anymore, it has moved to the front line. We need to innovate ways to take the business to the next level. For this, financial leaders to be equipped with trending knowledge & information and be updated about all the changes that are happening in the space of technology.
What are the changes in the real estate industry that you anticipate and what are the opportunities that you foresee?
The real estate industry has come a long way. Today whether the buyers are investors or end users, their requirements has changed to what it was a decade back. These are some of the developments that are going to occur in the future creating abundant opportunities in the industry.
Murtuza Unchwaniwala, CFO, Al Barari
Murtuza has a master's degree in accounting & financing and several certifications under ACCA, IABFM, AFA and MIPA. He has two decades of experience working across multiple industries and leading their entire gamut of financial operations.
•Hobbies: Cricket, Outdoor sports
•Favorite book: My story by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
•Favorite Travel Destination:
Mauritius
•Favorite Cuisine: French
•Awards & Recognition
Awarded as the Employee of the Year during my association with Agility received the Finance Award during my years in Action Hotels Group