Independent Non-Executive Director

Client background:

The client is a privately owned, independent specialty chemical group headquartered in Dubai, UAE, a leading distributor and manufacturer of specialty chemicals serving customers across Asia, the Middle East, and Africa through a buy-and-resell distribution model. It operates from 150+ strategically located sites (sales offices, warehouses, and laboratories), with 1300+ employees across 40+ countries, organised along five business units: coatings, construction & inks; food ingredients; life sciences; oil, gas, petrochemicals & mining; and plastic, rubber & advanced materials, and represents many internationally known chemical manufacturers. The group consists of 50+ subsidiaries.

The organisation is independently owned, with no public reporting obligations. It operates a Quality Management System certified to ISO 9001:2015, is SGS-certified, and complies with Responsible Care®. Its sustainability plan covers environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors, with auditable KPIs linked to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Key responsibilities:

• Provide independent oversight and constructive challenge to the executive on financial and strategic matters.
• Chair the Audit Committee: set its agenda, lead oversight of financial-reporting integrity and internal control, and own the relationship with the internal and external auditors.
• Oversee risk management and the effectiveness of internal control across the organisation.
• Uphold the highest standards of governance, integrity, and independence.
• Contribute to board discussions on strategy, drawing on senior financial-leadership experience.

Sector / industry experience:

Chemicals & specialty chemicals; chemical distribution (coatings, construction & inks; food ingredients; life sciences; oil, gas, petrochemicals & mining; plastics, rubber & advanced materials)

Level of experience:

Executive (Partner level, C-suite, >30 years)

Time commitment:

Approximately four board meetings per year, plus Audit Committee meetings; an estimated 8 to 12 days per year including preparation and travel. The range is indicative and open to discussion at the interview stage.

Work arrangement:

Remote. In-person attendance is required for board meetings in Dubai (approximately four per year); the appointee need not be UAE-based and may be based outside the region (e.g. Europe).

Must-have experience and skills for acceptance:

• Current or recent service as a Non-Executive Director, including as Chair of an Audit Committee.
• Former Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of a multinational of approximately US$1 to 5 billion in annual revenue.
• Financial expertise sufficient to serve as the Audit Committee's designated financial expert: current, demonstrable command of accounting standards, financial reporting, and internal control.
• Sector experience in chemicals, specialty chemicals, or chemical distribution.
• International / multi-region: significant experience across emerging markets in at least two of the following regions: Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America, combined with senior experience in European corporate environments. GCC experience preferred but not required.
• >30 years of total work experience.

Education level:

Undergraduate degree; postgraduate degree

Other certifications & qualifications:

• A professional accounting or finance qualification (e.g. ACA, ACCA, CPA, CA, CIMA) or clearly equivalent credentials.
• Membership of a recognised professional accountancy body, strongly preferred.
• A corporate-governance or director credential (such as IoD Chartered Director, or GCC Board Directors Institute certification), advantageous.

Specific client or work experience:

Board service in a privately held or family-owned group.

Specific geographic experience:

International / multi-region, significant experience across emerging markets in at least two of the following regions: Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America, combined with senior experience in European corporate environments. GCC experience preferred but not required.