DOES YOUR COMPANY NEED BUSINESS COACHING?

Dr. Xanthie Gagaza DETAILED RESUME

Ph.D. in business management focusing on strategic leadership platform for effective strategy implementation of organizations, business ecosystem innovation, environment, and sustainability. Articulate communicator, competent business and technical writer, and skilled in quickly engaging team members to achieve company objectives.

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DR. XANTHIE GAGAZA, PH.D.

Email: xanthie769@gmail.com | Mobile: +971 50 516 3023 | Dubai, United Arab Emirates

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Seasoned and growth-focused professional with strong team management and a demonstrated track record in project & infrastructure finance and controllership functions. Adept in multifaceted clean and green project financing, development, and management lifecycle. 20+ years of extensive track record of success serving as a business partner to senior managers and executive leadership teams connected with defining and delivering short-term and long-term sustainable growth strategies, measuring performance outcomes, and implementing effective corporate, business, operations, and environmental & sustainability strategy.

CORE COMPETENCIES

Visionary & Strategic Leadership
Strategic, Corporate Planning and Execution
Project & Infrastructure Financing
Merger & Acquisition
Debt & Equity Raising
Organization Development
High Knowledge in International Capital Market
Project Development & Management
Application of various Strategy Framework & Tools

Business Ecosystem Innovation
Climate Leadership, Reporting & Disclosure
Corporate Sustainability, Environmental, Social, & Governance (ESG)
Performance Planning and Control
Business Transformation Programs, Business Model Innovation, & Change Management
Strategic Partnership Relations (Equity investors, developers, counterparties, project advisers)
Good knowledge of the Middle East regions

PROFESSIONAL CAREER EXPERIENCE

ATLES INDUSTRIES LLC (A member of Saif Belhasa Holding Group)

VICE PRESIDENT, STRATEGY & CORPORATE PLANNING

HEAD, PROJECT & INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCE

FEBRUARY 2013 - NOVEMBER 2021

DUBAI, UAE | ABU DHABI, UAE

The primary focus is to lead the financing and equity with investors for the Middle East Clean and Green Energy renewable projects. The position also covers the entire finance and accounting activities of the organization. Reporting to the Chairman, CEO, and the Board. Responsible for supporting the CEO on the management of the annual strategic planning process, financial modeling, project feasibility studies, and all other supporting activities, including but not limited to the following actions:

Led the Finance function, providing executive leadership and professional expertise to support the Chairman and CEO and the Board of Directors to enable the business to develop and grow in a disciplined and structured manner
Championed and directed all strategic activities, namely, corporate, business, organizational development, business ecosystem innovation, project financing, operations, marketing, sustainability, and customer strategy development
Developed and directed the organization's business performance management framework, including setting corporate objectives and cascading them to the different divisions/departments
Developed and ensured the effective implementation of board & corporate governance policies, organizational design, Target Operating Model, operational excellence philosophy, ESMP framework, and quality management system
Provided leadership, direction, and management of the finance and accounting team
Provided strategic recommendations to the CEO/president and members of the executive management team
Managed and directed the processes for financial forecasting and budgets and oversaw the preparation of all financial reporting
Advised the CEO on long-term business and financial planning for the organization
Established and developed relations with senior management and external partners and stakeholders
Developed all formal finance, HR, and IT-related procedures

SELECTED ACHIEVEMENTS

Project & Infrastructure Finance:

Directed all in-house financial modeling related to all projects we are developing in the Middle East (Crude Refining, Advanced biofuel refinery, and green hydrogen & Green ammonia projects)
Directed the Project & Infrastructure Finance and equity raising functions and provided professional expertise to the executive team in raising debt financing and equity with investors and partners in developing our project with an average aggregate project cost of c. USD 0.5 – 4 billion
Negotiated and structured bank financing, equity bridge arrangement resulting in additional working capital of USD60 million for our projects in the Middle East
Represented the organization with meetings with ECA's in Europe (Euler Hermes - Germany; UKEF - United Kingdom; CESCE - Madrid) to finance our Clean & Green Energy Projects in the GCC
In the equity raising, together with the CEO, was instrumental in strategizing and in successfully achieving equity partnership with the following organizations:

51% Majority share (circa USD 63m) with a prominent and established family-owned local group in the UAE
15% Equity share (circa USD 18m) with a leading international Contractor in oil, gas, renewable & infrastructure with more than 20 years of experience in successfully executing projects in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Australia, India

Project Planning & Business Development:

Perform strategic investments, project development & management, strategic corporate planning activities, and established and led a PMO office to develop an Advanced Biofuel (second generation) refinery and Green Ammonia/Green Hydrogen Projects in the GCC
Provide end-to-end project management through stage-gate processes - from initiation, development, tender, construction, commissioning to handover
Direct the project development initiatives, including deal sourcing; selection and negotiation with equity investors; business analysis, project evaluation, and feasibility studies; due diligence, and project viabilities covering economic, legal, market, and financial of our refinery projects in the Middle East

Strategy & Corporate Planning:

Championed and managed the development of the vision, mission, corporate sustainability, and strategic plans and monitored their implementation at the HQ
Develop Project Information Memorandum, Sustainability strategy and ESMP framework, Project Briefing Memos, and Financial Model for Strategic Planning and Project Financing for our infrastructure projects in the Middle East
Developed and implemented the following key Company policies, procedures, manuals, the organizations' term of references (ToR) as follows: Corporate Governance and Policies Manual; Corporate and Business Control Framework; Finance and Accounting Manual; Corporate HSE, OEMS, ESMP Frameworks; Corporate Target Operating Model (TOM); Organizational structure Project and Organizational Health check; Project Company Stage Gates, RACI & Activity Model, and Organizational Roadmap

Project Execution and Due Diligence:

A focal point and overall controller with project counterparties and stakeholders:

Financial Advisors – Deloitte, PwC, EY, KPMG, Grant Thornton
Insurance Advisors - Marsh and JLT
Legal Advisors – Arendt, Allen & Overy, Norton Rose Fulbright, Linklaters, and Dentons
Market & Product Pricing Advisors - Argus Media, Nexant, & IHS
Project Technical advisors - DNV GL, BECHTEL, ThyssenKrupp
EPC Contractors - Black & Veatch/Diode ventures, SNC Lavalin, Abengoa, and Acciona Industrial
FEED/EBED contractors - Black & Veatch, SNC Lavalin, Siemens, Thyssenkrupp
Environmental Advisors – CH2M, Royal Haskoning, AECOM, & ERM
PMC consultants - Tebodin Belfinger and Ramboll
O&M – Spie Oil & Gas
Others - Local, regional, and international commercial banks; OECD member ECAs - EDC, EKF, UKEF, CESCE, Euler Hermes, and ONDD; and ECA Coordinator/MLA - Santander Bank - Madrid)