In an era where financial precision fuels innovation, Asia’s top CFOs are no longer just number crunchers — they’re strategic architects of growth. From steering billion-dollar tech unicorns to guiding legacy giants through digital transformation, these finance leaders are shaping the future of business in the region.
Their decisions ripple across industries, influencing investor confidence, operational resilience, and innovation pipelines. So who are the names to know? This 2025 edition of Top 10 CFOs You Should Follow spotlights the bold, future-focused executives redefining what it means to lead from the financial frontlines.
Highlights
Paul Gyles
Paul Gyles brings more than three decades of global finance experience — spanning the UK, Middle East, and Asia — to his role as Group CFO at The First Group. As a Chartered Management Accountant (CIMA), he has previously led financial operations at major real estate firms, including Meraas Holding and Shamal Holding, proving his mastery in corporate finance, strategic planning, and governance.
Moreover, his accolades — including “CFO of the Year” for the Middle East real estate sector — underscore his track record of driving performance, restructuring, and business transformation. Today, Gyles oversees finance, treasury, and business planning for a fast‑growing hospitality and real estate portfolio, shaping investments with discipline and strategic foresight.
Richa Singh
Richa Singh now leads as CFO of Pernod Ricard India — a role she took on in 2022 — where she directs financial strategy for one of India’s most dynamic beverage businesses. Before that, she built strong finance and leadership credentials across multinational giants such as Procter & Gamble, Coca‑Cola India, and Philips, and even led a startup business as CEO.
Her background thus blends traditional corporate finance strength with entrepreneurial agility. Under her stewardship, Pernod Ricard India has pursued strategic growth — including landmark investments and acquisitions — while she also champions people‑centric leadership, mentoring, and cultural change.
Mohammad Ali Khalid
Mohammad Ali Khalid represents a new generation of finance leaders: transformational, data‑driven, and globally minded. Currently serving as CFO at Edge, he manages finance across multiple geographies and is tasked with building robust financial infrastructure from the ground up — from setting up real‑time dashboards and metrics to optimizing cash flow and preparing for due diligence.
Furthermore, his background spans financial advisory, accounting governance, and cross‑border operations, giving him a versatile toolkit for high‑growth, startup‑driven environments. As such, Khalid exemplifies how modern CFOs combine financial rigor with operational agility and strategic growth orientation.
Komal Gupta
Komal Gupta stands out as a finance leader who marries technical expertise with bold, execution-led transformation. Joining Windlas Biotech Limited as its first CFO in 2015 — and later taking on the CEO role — she has steered the company through its full IPO lifecycle, strategic equity events, and major organisational shifts.
Under her leadership, WBL has delivered 11 consecutive quarters of strong growth, a ~4x rise in market capitalization, industry-leading liquidity and working-capital efficiency, and record improvements in profitability and margins. She also drove ERP upgrades, compliance automation, and cross-functional performance dashboards, embedding discipline and professionalisation across the organisation.
With her integrated strength in finance, operations, and governance, Komal exemplifies the modern CFO who is not only a financial steward but a strategic partner shaping long-term value.
Izzad Shamsudin
Izzad Shamsudin brings to the table deep experience in audit, advisory, and finance, shaped during his time as a partner at a global professional services firm, and later in senior finance leadership roles for major Malaysian corporations.
Since becoming CFO of KPJ Healthcare Bhd in mid-2024, he has been navigating finance in a complex industry — healthcare — where regulatory, operational, and financial dynamics intersect. His breadth of expertise across finance, ICT, and regional finance roles equips him to lead with strategic insight, especially in times of change.
Jef Lacson
Jef Lacson is a finance veteran whose nearly 20‑year career has spanned audit, risk advisory, insurance, and banking — giving him a rare breadth of experience across financial services and fintech landscapes. Now CFO at UnionDigital Bank, he leads finance transformation, capital strategy, and governance as the bank rebuilds and refines its lending portfolio.
Previously, he oversaw finance and compliance operations across multiple countries and entities, implemented major accounting reforms (including adoption of new standards), and delivered measurable operational improvements and cost savings. In short, Jef Lacson represents the CFO‑as‑change‑agent: someone who brings financial discipline, regulatory compliance, and strategic clarity to complex, multi‑market organizations.
Badrulhisyam Fauzi
Badrulhisyam Fauzi merges engineering precision with financial acumen. As CFO of Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) since early 2025, he brings to the role a deep understanding of business operations, analytics, and strategic finance — shaped by his background in both engineering and global finance.
Previously, he held top finance and strategy positions at a major infrastructure firm, MMC Corporation Berhad, where he oversaw finance, tax, treasury, strategy, and risk management. Because of this, he is well-positioned to guide TNB — Malaysia’s leading energy utility — through financial transformation, regulatory dynamics, and long-term capital planning.
Vincent BoonSeng Lim
Vincent BoonSeng Lim blends science, sustainability, and finance in a rare but powerful mix. Now CFO at A*STAR – Agency for Science, Technology and Research (since February 2025), he oversees finance for one of Singapore’s leading research and innovation agencies. His background spans multinational corporations, consulting, and sustainability work — including senior finance roles and leadership in eco‑sustainability firms.
Additionally, with a PhD in General Management, professional qualifications in accounting, and sustainability certifications, Lim brings not just financial discipline but a vision for sustainable finance transformation and impact‑oriented management.
Shi Mei Chin
Shi Mei Chin (CA ANZ) is a finance strategist with a FinTech edge, known for blending financial leadership with clear, strategic communication. Serving as CFO at Spark Systems Pte Ltd, she leads financial reporting, performance management, fundraising, and governance — ensuring stakeholders understand not just the numbers, but the narrative behind them.
Her career includes auditing and assurance roles in “Big Four” firms, as well as building the FinTech audit & consulting practice for one of them. Formerly the Treasurer of the Singapore FinTech Association, she continues to contribute to the ecosystem by mentoring founders at Tenity, speaking on industry platforms, and serving as a judge for FinTech pitch competitions.
As such, she brings both traditional finance rigor and FinTech‑era innovation to the table. Thanks to her dual focus on finance and communications, Shi Mei represents a modern CFO who balances profit‑driven growth with purpose-driven responsibility.
Ramadoss Tamil Selvan
Ramadoss Tamil Selvan draws on over 25 years of global experience across audit, finance, maritime economics, and business transformation. As a strategic finance expert and corporate advisor currently working with RMB Group in Dubai, he offers deep expertise in cost management, financial modelling, project finance, and internal control processes — often in sectors like shipping, free‑zone trade, and logistics.
Additionally, his decades‑long career as a trainer, corporate coach, and consultant reflects his dedication not only to numbers, but to building capacity — both within organisations and among individuals. For industries rooted in complex regulation and transactional risk, TamilSelvan is a CFO whose strategic foresight and process-driven discipline can make a difference.
Why These CFOs Are Asia’s Most Strategic Power Players
Behind every visionary CEO is a CFO turning strategy into sustainable growth — and this list proves just that. These financial leaders are not only managing balance sheets; they’re accelerating innovation, navigating uncertainty, and ensuring Asia’s companies stay resilient in the face of global volatility.
As the finance function becomes ever more central to decision-making, expect these CFOs to shape the next wave of economic leadership in Asia. Follow them — not just for insights, but for a front-row view of how the region’s smartest money minds are building the future.
Highlights
Read the Chinese article here.
