This month marks the close of the Uefa Euro 2024 football tournament in Germany, and the start of the Olympic Games in Paris, so we couldn’t resist having a peek at the numbers behind the biggest sporting events on the planet. In our article on Paris 2024, we find out how much recent hosts have paid out to stage the Olympics, and whether the returns they earned were worth it. And in our article on European football teams, we compare the revenues and wage costs of the ‘big five’ league clubs.
In our main interview this month, we meet Ayman Gamil Ammar FCCA. Egyptian by birth and with senior roles at multinationals including GSK and SC Johnson behind him, he moved to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, a decade ago to join L’azurde, the largest designer, manufacturer, distributor and retailer of gold jewellery in the Middle East. Now CFO, he relishes the challenges as the group strives to meet the region’s huge appetite for gold jewellery.
We also meet Lok Hari Luintel FCCA of Nepal Electricity Authority. When he joined the utility company in 2011 power outages were a daily occurrence and only 55% of the population had access to electricity. Now deputy managing director (finance) and with 98% of people connected to the grid, he is ‘excited to be a part of such a vital, progressive and dynamic sector’ in his country.
Over in Sri Lanka, accounting firms are battling a brain drain that has seen many professionals leave the island. But some firms are bucking this trend, with the help of ‘employee-first’ policies that prioritise wellbeing and career growth. Find out more about what's on offer.
If you’re wondering what it takes to step up to a CFO role, help is at hand. CFOs from the Middle East and Africa who have already made the move talk about the mindset, skills and experience that will put you in the best position to land the top finance job.
We also look at the opportunities for accountants keen to develop a deep understanding of data and technology. And, if this month’s reading has inspired you to find out where your skills and experiences might take you, then take a look at our career paths special edition.
