Updates

AI in Middle East Corporate Finance

In January, the ICAEW Corporate Finance Faculty Middle East panel held an event in Riyadh: ‘AI is no longer a future consideration for corporate finance – it’s already reshaping the profession.’ An audience of advisers and investors discussed how AI now influences each stage of the deal cycle – from origination and due diligence to valuation, execution, and post-deal integration. A panel of experts discussed the implications for the talent pipeline.

“Technical capability still matters, but judgement, ethics, professional scepticism and the ability to interpret AI-driven insights are becoming just as critical,” said Hanadi Khalife, head of the Middle East at ICAEW, who organised the event. “The future corporate financier will need to be both digitally fluent and commercially sharp.”

The panel was moderated by Salmaan Khawaja, chair of the ICAEW Corporate Finance Faculty Middle East panel and head of financial advisory for Grant Thornton in the Middle East. It comprised Waleed Rasrommani, Saudi Arabia national managing partner for Linklaters; Fikry Younis, Riyadh-based investor at Sulaiman Alrajhi Holding; and Ali Qasim, ICAEW council member and Rothschild director based in Saudi Arabia.

“It’s clear AI is here to stay and will continue to grow as an integral part of our professional and personal lives,” said Khawaja. Training needs for professionals are set to radically evolve, from entry level right up to senior management. Whilst the application of AI tools will continue to improve, human relationships will play an increasingly pivotal role in getting deals across the line.

ICAEW CEO Alan Vallance, who was visiting the region, shared his insights on the impact of AI on corporate finance, following the panel discussion: “Let’s be clear AI is a game-changer - those who take a sophisticated approach and embrace it in the right way will gain a competitive edge.”

More information on the activities of ICAEW in the Middle East is available at icaew.com/middle-east.

Outlook for 2026

The Corporate Finance Faculty held its first webinar – Prospecting for Deals in 2026 – in January. It featured a view on the economic landscape for deals from Goldman Sachs chief European economist Sven Jari Stehn. He predicted an uptick in 2026 deal activity on the back of Bank of England interest rate cuts.

Russell Enright, EMEA head of banks and corporate sales at SS&C Intralinks, presented the outlook for M&A, noting that dealmakers had become more pessimistic about the US, and were shifting capital towards European markets.

Alistair Brew from BGF, Addleshaw Goddard’s Giles Distin, KPMG’s Nicola Longfield and Keely Woodley from Grant Thornton then joined a panel discussion.

• The full webinar can be viewed at: Prospecting for Deals on-demand webinar