How to become a CFO? ft. Youssef Salem (CFO @ ADNOC Drilling)

In this episode from CareersTalks with Tamer, I sit down with Youssef Salem, the current CFO of ADNOC Drilling. Youssef’s career path is an incredible journey of resilience and calculated risks. From spending over a decade as an investment banker to becoming the CFO of ADNOC drilling, one of the fastest-growing MENA unicorns, Youssef shares his experiences, insights, and lessons learned. ⏱Timestamps⏱: 0:00 Introduction 01:49 Overview of Youssef’s career journey and pivotal moments 05:56 What was your motivation to stay in the investment banking? 11:03 The reason behind moving to SWVL? 14:22 Transition from a more focused role to the one with broader responsibilities? 18:27 More about SWVL—what it does and your journey with it? 20:52 The most challenging aspect of your career at SWVL 22:07 As the youngest CFO, how did you handle pressure from investors? 25:15 The biggest career challenges and lessons learned 27:04 The role as a CFO at ADNOC 30:26 How have your experiences as a CFO across different companies differed? 33:17 Would you be as successful as a CFO without your experience at SWVL? 35:34 What makes a good CFO? 38:26 What personal sacrifices did you make, and how did you balance your time? 41:48 Did you ever wish you had enjoyed your 20s more instead of prioritizing success? 45:33 What do you consider your biggest career failure, and how did you overcome it? 47:22 What advice would you give to young professionals aspiring to become CFOs? 49:22 For someone in finance, is transitioning to a startup a good path to a CFO role? 50:48 What skills should someone in investment banking develop to become a CFO? 54:44 How do you see technologies changing the finance industry and the role of the CFO? 59:32 What impact do you hope to leave with your career? 01:01:39 What advice would you give your 18-year-old self? #finance #investmentbanking #CFO #startup #careeradvice #financecareers CONNECT WITH ME: 🎬 YouTube: @careerstalkswithtamer 📷 Instagram:   / careerstalks   🎙️ Spotify: https://spotify.link/155zVY0b3yb 💼 LinkedIn:   / careerstalks   *Disclaimer*: All thoughts and opinions expressed in this video reflects the guest's and the host's personal views and are not an official statement from their employers.