Khaled Arnaout

Entity: BFL Group
Position : Director of Audit and Compliance
Worked at PwC until: 2017
Line of Service: Assurance

How would you describe your days at PwC?

I started my career with PwC as an associate auditor and was able to advance year after year. Within the first two years, the learning and development programs and the continuous support from my managers and colleagues allowed me to acquire knowledge towards professional qualifications, and to apply them into practice simultaneously. Over the course of ten years, I provided assurance and consulting services to local and multinational clients and gained access to various experiences that leveraged my knowledge and skills. As a senior manager at PwC, I have been able to utilise my managerial and technical expertise with respect to leading technology, advanced data analytics and process improvements.

What have you been doing since leaving PwC?

After leaving PwC, I took a role at AL-Mawarid Bank as the Head of Internal Audit department. Recently, I moved to the United Arab Emirates, where I took on a new role as the Director of Audit and Compliance for BFL group. I believe that the core assurance experience in audit, risk management, and compliance have provided me with an edge during the occupation of different positions.

How did working at PwC help you achieve your career goals?

My experience with PwC was transformational. Coming from an assurance background, I have the leverage to move to any industry and to add value to the organisations I worked for. While delivering a range of services to a variety of clients, I have gained quick-learning skills and adaptability in different service areas. These skills helped me be fully prepared and confident in achieving my career objectives, leading to where I am today.

Of all your achievements so far, what makes you the most proud?

I feel most proud when I see the impact of my coaching inputs reflecting positively on my colleagues’ performance. I believe that it is rewarding to provide assistance tips to less experienced colleagues that will thereafter contribute with their development and progression. In addition to coaching, I feel proud when I see that the reports previously issued by my team were of an added value to the clients and to the organisation I worked for.

What do you like to do outside of the office?

I like to spend time with my family and friends. I also commit time to sports (playing basketball) and maintaining overall personal wellness. I believe this is an effective way of stress relief.

What is the best career advice that you can offer?

I advise all colleagues to challenge themselves with new experiences and venture outside their comfort zones. Furthermore, I like to take the opportunity to emphasize the importance of feedback and criticism and its hidden value in improving one’s performance. Finally, I think that investing in learning and development is always a profitable option when improving technical skills.

My lasting lessons from PwC?

With PwC I was able to see the value of establishing trust and building relationships, and this is something that I apply daily. One simply cannot be successful without establishing the right relationships and promoting ethics and integrity.

What characteristics do you think have made you successful?

Being transparent and collaborative are two major ingredients of being successful. I believe it is essential to build relationships at work with my team and my subordinates. I believe human capital is an essential part of corporate success. As I have patience, optimism, passion, and motivation to drive innovation and exploit my skills set for organisational growth and advancement.