Curiosity motivates individuals to pursue new information, learn new things, and broaden their knowledge of the world. It is a mindset for lifelong learning, which empowers individuals to adjust to change, innovate and remain applicable in any given profession. Curious individuals tend to ask questions about the norm and venture into unorthodox concepts. This creates innovative and creative problem solving, be it in professional or personal life.
Curiosity is the driver of innovation. For Dr. Mohamed ELRouby, it is not an individual characteristic—it is a career guide. In a global marketplace where finance is becoming inextricably linked with AI, automation, and data, he credits that the future belongs to the curious, the courageous, and the connected. As a global finance leader, his mission is to reimagine what finance can be—together.
Dr. Mohamed believes in democratizing his knowledge about the niche, and through initiatives like Dr. FP&A, he continues to share, mentor, and help finance professionals globally prepare for the digital finance era. As a global strategic finance leader and FP&A icon, Dr. Mohamed’s early fascination with numbers progressed into a lifelong pursuit of business insight and transformation. After graduating with a B.Sc. in Commerce (Accounting Major) and earning his MBA in Finance & Investment, he furthered his academic journey with a Doctorate in Management, where he explored a subject which he believes is close to his heart, “AI as the Future of Finance.”
With over two decades of global experience, his career spans across top-tier multinationals like Novartis, Johnson & Johnson, Takeda, Allergan, and Energizer, culminating in his current role as AVP, Global Commercial Finance and CFO MEA at Pharmanovia. What truly shaped Dr. Mohamed’s path was his relentless passion for FP&A—an area that he believes sits at the intersection of strategic vision, operational intelligence, and digital innovation.
That passion has translated into a mission: to elevate the FP&A function from back-office number crunching to front-line strategic enablement. Dr. Mohamed expresses, “I’ve led FP&A transformations across the Middle East, Africa, and Europe, built FP&A centers of excellence, and driven full digital overhauls integrating RPA, EPM, and Power BI solutions.”
Beyond the boardroom, Dr. Mohamed is valued and embraced as a global voice in FP&A—he is recognized as the Best FP&A Leader in the Middle East (2024), Top 10 CFOs in Asia, CFO of the Year in Healthcare by AI Magazine (UK), and listed among the Top 200 Global Power Leaders.
Diving deeper into his leadership charisma, Dr. Mohamed has spoken at international finance summits and conferences, sharing insights on Next-Generation FP&A and Digital Finance Transformation. Through his widely read Dr. FP&A LinkedIn series and published thought leadership on FP&A Trends, HOFT Academy, and other platforms, he continues to mentor the next generation of finance professionals worldwide.
The Moments of Recognition
Dr. Mohamed’s career in finance took shape through a deep desire to bridge insight and impact. From the early days of working as a management accountant, he was captivated not just by forecasting or budgeting—but by the ability of financial planning to shape future outcomes. That drive led him into FP&A, where he grabbed an opportunity to evolve finance from a backward-looking reporting function to a proactive strategic force.
What began as a technical journey quickly became a leadership mission. He created FP&A teams from scratch, led regional and global transformations, and introduced technologies that radically enhanced business responsiveness. Over time, he gained a reputation as a finance innovator—someone who could link long-term business vision with daily operational drivers.
The turning point came when Dr. Mohamed shared his valuable insights at FP&A conferences and finance leadership events, leveraging the power of global platforms. Sharing his understandings on FP&A transformation, agile planning, and AI-driven forecasting, Dr. Mohamed was humbled to see how frameworks and digital strategies resonated with CFOs and FP&A professionals across the world. This helped Dr. Mohamed to further expand his influence as a practitioner and, an educator and a thought leader who is contributing to enabling advancements in the niche.
He further authored articles on platforms such as FP&A Trends, HOFT Academy, and LinkedIn’s Dr. FP&A series, aiming to simplify complexity and provide real tools for transformation. Today, his work spans digital finance strategy, AI integration, strategic planning, and performance management—driven by a single core belief: FP&A is the beating heart of modern business decision-making.
Overcoming Adversities with Resilience
Dr. Mohamed expresses, “Balancing the responsibilities of a global finance executive role with personal life is a conscious, evolving commitment. I’ve always believed that high performance at work must be complemented by presence and clarity in personal life.”
Living and working across multiple geographies has taught him that resilience doesn’t just come from working harder, but from working smarter and staying aligned with your core purpose.
Sharing a glimpse of an approach to work smartly, Dr. Mohamed reveals, “I start each day with intentional routines that fuel both mind and energy. Professionally, I’m driven by structure, delegation, and prioritization—leading high-performing FP&A teams while fostering autonomy and growth in others. I make space for reflection, family time, and the little rituals that recharge me. Living in Dubai with my family, I treasure quality time with loved ones and consciously unplug when I need to recalibrate.”
What stands as a robust fact is that ‘Challenges are inevitable’—especially when leading large-scale transformations across countries, managing complex mergers, or presenting to global boards.
As these scenarios put all leaders to the test, Dr. Mohamed has implemented his approach and developed a strong support system of mentors, peers, and team members who enable collaboration and accountability. He is a firm believer in mental health and self-awareness for leadership. His belief centres around the fact that “You cannot lead others if you’re not aligned with yourself.”
One of the most transformative practices Dr. Mohamed has adopted so far is journaling and tracking OKRs—both personal and professional. It helps him to keep his goals visible and correct his course quickly. Another important element is about teams owning outcomes, which reduces bottlenecks and creates space for me to focus on strategic initiatives.
In essence, Dr. Mohamed navigates the tension between work and life not by seeking perfect balance, but by striving for purposeful integration. “When you find meaning in your work and stay grounded in your values, harmony naturally follows,” he shares.
Redefining Leadership, One Bold Step at a Time
Dr. Mohamed defines himself as a transformational leader and strategic change agent, with a mission to elevate finance—especially FP&A—into a true engine of business transformation. His leadership style is rooted in inspiring change, challenging the status quo, and empowering others to lead with purpose and clarity.
Over the past two decades, he has been leading multiple FP&A transformations and digital finance initiatives across global organizations, transitioning finance from reactive functions into strategic business partners. His approach to decision-making blends data-driven intelligence, technological enablement, and long-term strategic vision.
As a strategist, Dr. Mohamed focuses on embedding agility, resilience and innovation into financial planning. He has spearheaded initiatives like the implementation of integrated EPM systems, automation using RPA, and AI-driven forecasting models that enhanced decision accuracy and business responsiveness. These changes weren’t just about technology—they were about people, culture, and mindset.
He applies strategic frameworks like OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) to drive alignment across teams, improve transparency, and ensure execution is tied to measurable outcomes. He shares, “As a change agent, I don’t simply deliver results—I build ecosystems that sustain transformation.”
Dr. Mohamed’s proudest accomplishment is building future-ready finance functions that not only report the past but shape the future. Whether influencing C-suite decisions or mentoring rising finance professionals, his leadership is guided by a single question: How can finance be a force multiplier for innovation and value creation?
Bridging Vision and Value—One Insight, One Team, One Transformation at a Time
Dr. Mohamed’s greatest strength has always been his strategic foresight combined with executional excellence—especially in FP&A, digital transformation, and finance strategy. He’s renowned for turning complex data into business narratives, aligning financial planning with corporate vision, and building agile teams that anticipate change, not just react to it.
His strength in communication—particularly storytelling with data—has helped him to secure buy-in at all levels of leadership. Whether it’s leading a global S&OP meeting or delivering a keynote on next-generation FP&A, he has learned how to translate finance into action.
Technologically, Dr. Mohamed thrives in driving innovation: RPA, Power BI, EPM platforms, and AI-led predictive models are tools he has embedded in every finance function he has ever transformed. He brings a deep human touch to leadership—mentoring, empowering and creating platforms for others to shine.
Just like two sides of the same coin, Dr. Mohamed has had his weaknesses, too. One of his early struggles was taking on too much personally instead of delegating effectively. As someone who’s deeply invested in outcomes, he had to learn the power of structured delegation. Another growth area was his initial underestimation of how vital change management and communication are in digital transformation. However, today, he has turned his weaknesses into his strengths, and while emphasizing his approach, “I’ve since become a student—and advocate—of organizational behavior and internal influence.”
“I share these because I believe every finance leader must balance technical mastery with emotional intelligence, strategic boldness with humility. These lessons made me a better leader, and I hope others can learn from my journey,” adds Dr. Mohamed.
The Reflected Glory
Dr. Mohamed is honored and humbled to have received several prestigious global recognitions that reflect his lifelong commitment to finance transformation and FP&A leadership. His accolades include:
- Best FP&A Leader in the Middle East
- Top 10 CFOs in Asia
- CFO of the Year – Healthcare | AI Magazine UK
- Top 200 Global Power Leaders in Finance
These accolades mark significant milestones in a career dedicated to transforming FP&A, advancing digital finance capabilities, and redefining the role of strategic finance on a global scale.
Throughout his career, Dr. Mohamed has successfully led several high-impact initiatives across leading multinational organizations, including:
- Establishing best-in-class FP&A functions from the ground up within complex global enterprises.
- Driving end-to-end digital transformation of finance functions at Takeda, Pharmanovia, and Energizer.
- Delivering multi-million-dollar cost savings through strategic planning, inventory optimization, and cost transformation initiatives.
- Developing fully integrated performance reporting frameworks and deploying AI-powered forecasting models to enhance decision-making.
Thought Leadership & Mentorship
One of Dr. Mohamed’s most meaningful contributions has been the creation of the “Dr. FP&A” series—an educational platform on LinkedIn that has empowered thousands of finance professionals worldwide to master modern FP&A practices.
He has also shared thought leadership through respected platforms such as FP&A Trends, HOFT Academy, and other global forums.
In addition, Dr. Mohamed has:
- Spoken at numerous international finance and leadership conferences.
- Mentored over 2,000 finance professionals globally.
- Played a key role in elevating FP&A from a technical support function to a strategic business partner.
Pearls of Wisdom
For the budding aspirants, Dr. Mohamed shares his valuable advice, stating, “A title does not define leadership—it’s a commitment to driving impact, enabling transformation, and fostering continuous growth. The new generation of leaders stepping into this niche should learn to be authentic, stay humble, and lead with integrity. Never stop learning, build a strong foundation in finance, but continually expand your capabilities. Embrace strategy, technology, AI, and data science, because today’s finance leaders must think beyond the numbers.”
It is also important to master the art of storytelling. Great leaders communicate with clarity and purpose. Turn data into actionable insights and insights into influence—because FP&A is more than analysis; it’s about enabling action.
Lead changes boldly. Innovation doesn’t require perfect conditions—start small, demonstrate value, and scale from there. Transformation always begins with a committed champion. Invest in people. Mentor others. Build diverse, high-performing teams that challenge and inspire you. Your team will always be your greatest multiplier.
“Above all, remain curious and grounded. The moment you believe you’ve arrived is the moment growth stops. Keep asking what’s next, and how you can raise the bar.
Leadership is not about authority—it’s about purpose. Discover yours, and help others discover theirs. That is the true measure of a legacy,” he adds.
Eyes on the New Horizons
In an era where disruption is the norm and agility are the new competitive edge, finance leaders have a unique opportunity—and responsibility—to shape what comes next. By challenging the status quo, embracing innovation, and aligning finance with strategic vision, we don’t just support the business—Dr. Mohamed is leading it forward.
His mantra? “Transform. Empower. Lead with Purpose.”
In today’s advancing business arena, growth comes from bold transformation, development is driven by continuous learning, and success is measured by impact. Reflecting upon this, Dr. Mohamed shares, “Don’t just be part of the system—redefine it. Finance is no longer about just reporting the past.” “It’s about creating the future,” he concludes.
