Jason Schefermann
Fractional CFO | Chartered Accountant | MBA
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About
Transformation-oriented Chief Financial Officer and board-level strategic advisor with 24+ years of cross-border P&L ownership and financial leadership across healthcare, giga-projects, real estate, manufacturing, and family office structures. Proven track record of enterprise-wide turnaround, capital raising, M&A execution, and digital finance transformation in multi-entity, multi-currency environments spanning the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa. Trusted C-suite partner to Boards, investors, and private equity stakeholders — translating financial strategy into measurable operational performance.
Experience
Director — Financial Planning & Performance Management at NEOM (2023-01 – Present)
Strategic finance director and advisor across SAR 2.3B+ in annual budgets spanning Health, Biotech, Education, Media, Entertainment, Culture & Fashion, and Public Services at one of the world's most ambitious giga-projects.
- Recommended and executed zero-based budget reset across seven sectors — challenging legacy spend assumptions and realigning SAR 2.3B+ to NEOM's ESG mandate and long-term capital strategy
- Drove SAR 1.5B+ in business case savings through structured cost rationalisation and spend governance of SAR 200M+ annually
- Executed historic SAR 2B commitment clean-ups — restoring fiscal discipline, audit integrity, and executive clarity
- Standardised management reporting and financial consolidation across 21 sectors — enabling data-driven decision-making
- Partnered sector leaders to embed ESG-aligned financial governance into long-term business case revisions
Group Chief Financial Officer at SD Investments LLC (SDI Holding) (2021-01 – 2023-12)
Promoted to Group CFO of a diversified Emirati family office — 12 companies including 2 hospitals (250 beds), 2 clinics (FIFA-accredited rehab), F&B, construction, real estate, and shared services.
- Advised the Board on resolving AED 100M+ in legacy intercompany balance sheet imbalances
- Developed IFRS-compliant consolidated financial models for strategic planning and UAE Corporate Tax efficiency
- Optimised banking facilities across the group — reducing cost of capital and improving liquidity management
- Closed complex, overdue financials across multiple entities — achieving full audit readiness
- Institutionalised internal controls, intercompany governance frameworks, and risk management protocols
Group Chief Financial Officer at Health & Medical Services Co LLC (HMS Group) (2020-01 – 2021-12)
Led financial strategy, governance, and operational restructuring for an AED 500M+ healthcare group — including balance sheet turnaround, ERP implementation, and Revenue Cycle Management transformation.
- Recommended and led Microsoft Dynamics ERP implementation — automating financial workflows
- Reduced RCM claim rejection rates from 30% to 8% through end-to-end revenue cycle process redesign
- Restructured loan facilities to reduce cost of capital and improve financial flexibility
- Rationalised clinic portfolio — closed non-performing units
- Improved balance sheet integrity and IFRS-aligned reporting transparency
Chief Financial Officer at Neuro Spinal Hospital (2016-01 – 2020-12)
Headhunted to co-lead expansion from a 39-bed specialist facility to a 120-bed greenfield hospital including the UAE's first CyberKnife Oncology Unit — AED 145M annual revenue, 29-member finance team.
- Engineered AED 177M equity investment and AED 225M bank financing
- Directed complex shareholder restructuring across Cayman Islands, JAFZA, and UAE holding frameworks
- Delivered 180-day turnaround of Finance, Supply Chain, and Revenue Cycle Management functions
- Led SAP Business One and TrackCare EHR implementation
- Reduced insurance claim rejection rates from 20% to 8%
- Managed AED 465M in capital projects across construction, equipment, and commissioning
Director of Finance at Lenmed — Ethekwini Hospital & Heart Centre (2011-01 – 2015-12)
Recruited to lead the financial turnaround of a flagship cardiac hospital — high-acuity environment, sustained EBITDA growth, award-winning RCM performance.
- Transformed R200M tax loss position into R150M annual EBITDA within five years
- Reduced debtors days from 26 to 18 and maintained insurance claim rejection rates within 3%
- Contributed capital modelling and financial oversight for hospital expansion to 300 beds
- Delivered audit sign-offs within two months of year-end consistently
- Led SAP FI, MM, and BI upgrades across a 34-member team
Financial Controller at Midlands Medical Centre (2007-01 – 2011-12)
Enterprise-wide financial leadership during a period of strategic growth — integrating clinical and financial performance management and contributing to long-term capital planning.
- Delivered the group's first annual report aligned to shareholder KPIs and performance metrics
- Reduced debtors days from 63 to 29 through advanced RCM reporting and payer engagement
- Steering committee member for a 274-bed hospital masterplan
- Represented Pietermaritzburg Hospitals at NHN Board meetings
Professional Accountant & Tax Advisor at Lighthouse Finance (2006-01 – 2007-12)
