Published June 23, 2025 • Vertas Financial Consultancy
The Middle East has always balanced opportunity with uncertainty. In 2025, finance leaders across the region are once again being tested by overlapping economic and geopolitical challenges. But this time, the complexity is higher, the shocks are faster, and the expectation from CFOs is not just to report — but to lead.
From container ships avoiding the Suez Canal to oil prices whipsawing on political headlines, finance professionals are now central to survival and resilience strategy.
During this 8-year conflict, the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding Gulf waters became battlegrounds for oil logistics. Tanker insurance rates skyrocketed. Many regional firms had no hedging, leading to massive cash disruptions. A key takeaway: those who diversified suppliers and held liquidity buffers survived. Others defaulted.
Banking infrastructure collapsed within days. Capital flight was immediate. But businesses with access to regional banking networks and USD reserves in the UAE or Jordan kept operations moving. Private sector CFOs became central to decision-making, often coordinating directly with foreign embassies, insurers, and military logistics to stabilize supply chains.
While primarily a political crisis, the financial impact was immense. Sudden government transitions in Egypt, Tunisia, and Libya led to frozen subsidies, uncollected receivables, halted public spending, and unhedged inflation. Multinational CFOs quickly relocated treasury hubs. Domestic firms relied on hard cash and local banks that adapted to the shock.
This time, the crisis is not isolated. It’s **multi-dimensional**:
CFOs in 2025 must navigate all this **while preparing for capital market access, strategic growth plans, and business continuity**.
Build and update a 13-week rolling cash forecast. Use scenario triggers like Suez delays or FX stress. Extend bank lines before you need them. If your cost of borrowing is lower now than what it will be later, draw preemptively.
Set up dashboards that simulate the following:
Postpone new locations or retail outlets. But accelerate system investments, supply chain mapping tools, and dashboards. A strong data stack is your lifeline when traditional models break.
Leadership teams want clarity. Employees want reassurance. Banks want transparency. Don’t wait to report. Build 3-level summaries:
Middle East companies relying on one-size-fits-all HQ frameworks won’t last. Each market needs its own buffers, banking partners, and political risk monitoring. CFOs must lead that adaptation.
This is not a time to react. It’s a time to lead. CFOs are no longer just the stewards of numbers — they are the frontline planners of resilience.
The Middle East has always been a region of flux. Those who understand it — who anticipate risk and translate it into structure — will not only survive, they will outpace slower competitors.
We work with finance leaders across Egypt, the Gulf, and North Africa to:
📩 Contact us today: info@vertasfin.com