CompassPoint Consulting, the UAE’s leading fractional CFO company, is set to host an online webinar on April 9, 2026, titled “The UAE Founder Trap: What Experienced Operators Wish They Had Known Before They Scaled”, bringing together entrepreneurs, advisers and investors for a grounded discussion on what sustainable growth really requires in today’s market.

CompassPoint Consulting supports growing businesses across the UAE, GCC and UK with strategic finance leadership, helping founders and management teams improve planning, reporting and decision-making without the need for a full-time Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

The free-to-attend session will feature James Caan CBE, entrepreneur, investor and founder of Hamilton Bradshaw – CompassPoint Consulting’s lead investor – alongside Chris Hickey, former CEO of Robert Walters (UK, Middle East & Africa and North America) and Non-Executive Director at Hamilton Bradshaw Group; Zaid Aboobaker, Co-Founder and CEO of CompassPoint Consulting; and Zain ul Abideen, CFO and CCO of CompassPoint Consulting.

As the UAE continues to attract founders, capital and ambitious growth businesses, many companies still struggle to move from early traction to scalable performance.

CompassPoint’s webinar will explore why that happens. Drawing on the deep experience of investors and advisers who have helped build and scale businesses internationally, the session will offer practical insight into the realities of growing a company in the UAE.

The UAE Founder Trap will examine the need for financial clarity, operational structure and leadership development. Discussion will focus on the difference between growth and scalable growth, founder behaviours that can unintentionally create bottlenecks, and the importance of better reporting, stronger decision-making and greater investor readiness.

It is designed for founders, scale-up leadership teams, investors and business leaders who want a more realistic understanding of what it takes to build resilient businesses in the UAE.

Zaid Aboobaker, Co-Founder and CEO of CompassPoint Consulting, said: “The UAE offers founders real momentum, but momentum on its own is not a scaling strategy. We see many businesses with strong ideas and clear market opportunity, yet the foundations beneath them are not always strong enough to support growth at pace. This session is about looking honestly at those gaps – from financial clarity to operating discipline – and helping founders understand what sustainable growth actually demands.”

James Caan CBE said: “The UAE is one of the most exciting places in the world to build a business today. But scaling a company requires far more than just opportunity.

“Many founders struggle not because the market isn’t there, but because the financial visibility, leadership structure and operational discipline required to support growth haven’t been built early enough.

“As more entrepreneurs choose Dubai as a place to build their businesses, understanding how to scale sustainably becomes even more important.”

The webinar forms part of CompassPoint’s wider mission to contribute to the conversation around modern finance leadership, helping founders and leadership teams build businesses with greater discipline, stronger visibility and better long-term decision-making.

For founders operating in a market that rewards speed, the session aims to offer something more useful than generic growth advice: an honest conversation about the structures, habits and financial discipline that make growth sustainable.

To register, visit https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_1XRqVuf3QyyjmVYBnyP25g#/registration

Event: The UAE Founder Trap
Date: April 9, 2026
Time: 6pm UAE / 3pm UK
Format: Online webinar

Speakers: James Caan CBE; Chris Hickey, former CEO of Robert Walters (UK, MEA & North America) and Non-Executive Director, Hamilton Bradshaw Group; Zaid Aboobaker, Co-Founder and CEO, CompassPoint Consulting; Zain ul Abideen, CFO and CCO, CompassPoint Consulting.

Registration: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_1XRqVuf3QyyjmVYBnyP25g#/registration

About CompassPoint Consulting

CompassPoint Consulting works with growing businesses across the UAE, GCC and UK to help founders and leadership teams make better financial decisions. Its services include fractional CFO support, financial planning and analysis (FP&A), budgeting and forecasting, cash flow planning, finance reporting and finance team support. The business acts as a modern strategic finance partner for companies that need senior financial guidance without the cost or complexity of a full-time CFO.

About the Speakers

James Caan CBE: One of the UK’s most recognised entrepreneurs and investors, widely known for his role as an investor on the BBC’s Dragons’ Den. He founded Alexander Mann Group, which grew into one of the world’s leading recruitment and talent outsourcing businesses before being sold in a landmark transaction. Through his private investment firm Hamilton Bradshaw, he partners with founders to help build and scale businesses internationally across recruitment, professional services, and investment platforms.

Chris Hickey: Experienced international business leader and strategy adviser. Previously served as CEO of Robert Walters for the UK, Middle East & Africa and North America, leading significant regional growth for the FTSE-listed global recruitment firm. During his tenure, he was responsible for expanding operations across multiple international markets, building high-performing leadership teams and strengthening the company’s presence across key global business hubs. Chris now advises founders and growing businesses on strategy, leadership development, commercial performance and scaling organisations in competitive markets.

Zaid Aboobaker: Founder and CEO of CompassPoint Consulting, with more than 20 years of experience across Europe, India and the Middle East. A CIMA Fellow and CGMA, he specialises in growth, transformation, M&A and finance leadership, helping businesses scale sustainably through sharper strategy, stronger systems and operational discipline globally.

Zain ul Abideen: CFO and CCO of CompassPoint Consulting and an FCCA-qualified finance leader with more than a decade of experience in FP&A, treasury, management accounting and finance transformation. He is known for solving complex problems, strengthening financial processes and delivering clear, timely insight for growing businesses across markets today.
Media contact:

Ananda Shakespeare
Shakespeare Communications
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