KPMG firms up with three senior director appointments

KPMG has strengthened its team in Saudi Arabia with three new senior directors.

Rabi Youssef and Mohammed AlHarthi have both joined the Advisory division, while Mohamad Najjar has been added to the Tax division.

“The hiring of Rabi, Mohammed and Mohamad underscores our growth ambitions and emphasizes our strategic priorities. They bring profound subject-matter expertise and industry acumen to help KPMG’s efforts to strengthen and expand our service offerings and capabilities,” said Abdullah Al Fozan, Chairman and CEO at KPMG in Saudi Arabia.

Rabi Youssef is a member of the Government Risk and Compliance practice, based in Riyadh.

Over the course of 22-year career, Youssef has worked in North America and the MENA region, focussing on government and public sector, financial services, oil and gas, and other sectors. He has a wealth of experience advising clients on shaping governance and operating models, enhancing risk management practices and risk culture, as well as ensuring compliance.

At KPMG, he will focus on expanding the firms’ tech-led risk transformation offering.

Mohammed AlHarthi has joined KPMG’s Riyadh office and is a member of the Transformation Program Management practice. He specializes in strategy execution, portfolio management, program management transformation, and benefit realization.

With nearly two decades of experience, with the majority in the field of consulting, he is experienced in leading major engagements for various public sector clients and initiatives. He was also a board member and trusted advisor on multiple governmental programs.

Notably, AlHarthi played an important role in managing one of the largest e-government programs in Saudi Arabia, successfully implementing it globally across 34 countries.

Mohamad Najjar is part of the Indirect Tax practice, and operates out of KPMG’s office in Jeddah.

During his career spanning 23 years, he has specialized in developing tax strategies, providing tax compliance and consulting services, as well as setting tax policies. He served multiple roles at the Lebanese tax authorities as the Head of Risk Department and the Head of Objections Division for large taxpayers. In 2002, he participated in introducing VAT in Lebanon.

Moreover, Najjar served as a senior advisor in the executive management of Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA) in Saudi Arabia. He also spent six years, providing tax compliance and consulting services, focusing on tax planning, tax structuring and litigation services.

In his most recent position at another consulting firm, Najjar led the indirect tax practice in Jeddah and held a senior role in indirect tax litigation across the Middle East.