The finance department at Gulaid Holding Finance once operated like a typical Gulf-based finance team, bogged down by routine tasks and stuck with the stereotype of mere bookkeepers and processors. For years, the system was “good enough,” but as the business rapidly expanded, it became clear that the old way couldn’t keep up. Operations needed speed, projects demanded clarity, and executives craved live data rather than stale reports. Thus, the team made a bold decision that would not only improve finance but also transform it entirely.
Turning Finance Into A Driving Force
The turning point for Gulaid Holding Finance came with the launch of the Gulaid Holding Payment Gateway, a digital, web-based payment platform fully integrated with the company’s ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems.
What once took days of back-and-forth paperwork became instant and transparent. Every transaction could be tracked, approved, and completed with full visibility. Adding mobile access only amplified the results, as over 7,000 transactions are processed daily without a single sheet of paper, while P2P (Procure-to-Pay) processing times were reduced by 80%.
What started as a payment solution became a signal of intent. Gulaid Holding Finance was no longer a department that only recorded numbers; it was building platforms that moved the business forward.
The transformation turned heads, with International Finance recently recognising Gulaid Holding Finance as the winner of the “Most Innovative Corporate Finance Framework – Construction – Saudi Arabia 2025” and the “Best Financial Management Strategies – Construction – Saudi Arabia 2025” awards. This recognition reaffirmed the team’s dedication to creating effective solutions, addressing issues that span multiple departments, and enabling more informed business decisions with real-time data.
Gulaid Holding Finance, Group CFO, Chandan Dabeedeen said, “By 2030, our finance team will stand as a driver of digital transformation, building intelligent platforms, empowering every department, and proving that finance is not just about numbers, but about shaping the future of the company.”
Streamlining Operations, Empowering Strategic Growth
Manual invoice matching has long been a major drain on financial resources, with teams spending hours cross-referencing purchase orders, delivery receipts, and invoice details.
The breakthrough was the deployment of an AI Bot capable of posting transactions directly into the ERP system. This shift freed thousands of man-hours every year. Hours once consumed by repetitive checks were reinvested into high-value tasks like analysing data, improving workflows, and developing smarter solutions for the company. The message was clear: automation wasn’t about replacing people. It was about empowering them to do work that mattered.
Executives often had to wait days or weeks for reports to be compiled, checked, and circulated. That delay meant decisions were sometimes made without the full picture. To change this, the finance team partnered with the systems department to build the GH Executive Dashboard. With a single click, management can now see live KPIs, project updates, and financial metrics. This direct access to real-time information changed how the leadership team responds to challenges, plans new initiatives, and drives growth.
The transformation was never meant to benefit finance alone. From the start, the finance team committed to building tools that would lift the entire organisation. Working alongside HR and Systems, they introduced “GH HrConnect,” a smart hiring management platform that automatically captures every applicant, tracks their status, and delivers timely feedback. Recruitment became faster, clearer, and more efficient for HR teams and candidates.
Another innovation was “GH Vision Connect,” a digital hub where employees can now access workflows, procedures, and company updates. Powered by FORTE, a custom-trained AI chatbot, it provides instant answers to company-related questions at any time of day.
The successful transformation of Gulaid Holding Finance showed what’s possible when finance leads with purpose, not paperwork. From digital payments to AI-driven automation, from real-time dashboards to company-wide platforms, the company has become a model for what the future of finance should look like. And this journey isn’t over. New tools and improvements are already on the horizon because, in Gulaid Holding Finance, standing still is never an option.