Financial Due Diligence · CDD · Valuation · Capital Raising · Dubai, UAE & GCC
Financial Due Diligence & Transaction Advisory in Dubai, UAE & GCC
Independent financial due diligence (FDD), commercial due diligence (CDD), business valuation, and capital raising advisory in Dubai – CFA-led, Big 4-trained. Every engagement is principal-led on a fixed fee. Covering Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia (Riyadh, Jeddah), Qatar (Doha), Kuwait, and the wider GCC. Cross-border mandates across APAC and EMEA.
CFA CharterholderChartered AccountantIVS & IFRS CompliantBig 4 TrainedFixed Fee AlwaysUAE Bank & FTA AcceptedFRM CertifiedGCC-Wide Coverage
Financial Due Diligence (FDD) Dubai, UAE & GCC – CFA-Led
Before you commit capital to any acquisition, you need an independent view of the numbers. Not the seller's view – yours. Our buy-side FDD and vendor due diligence engagements are led directly by a CFA Charterholder with Big 4 training, across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and the wider GCC.
Quality of Earnings (QoE) – recurring vs one-time revenue, EBITDA normalisation, owner adjustments
Working capital analysis – peg, seasonality, and structurally required working capital
Net debt identification – off-balance sheet liabilities, EOSB, contingent obligations
Our FDD identified AED 8M in EBITDA adjustments the seller's IM had completely obscured.
The investment committee used our QoE report directly to renegotiate pricing and structure an earn-out that de-risked the forward revenue assumptions. The engagement paid for itself many times over.
– Investment Director, UAE Private Equity Fund
Typical Fee Range
AED 20K – 80K
Fixed scope. Agreed before work begins. No hourly billing.
Commercial Due Diligence
Commercial Due Diligence (CDD) Dubai, UAE & GCC
FDD tells you whether the numbers are real. CDD tells you whether the business model is defensible. Both are required before committing capital to an acquisition.
01
Market Assessment
Is the Market Large Enough & Growing?
Independent market sizing, growth rate validation, and addressable market assessment for the UAE and GCC. We challenge the management case – not accept it.
UAE and GCC market sizing and growth rate validation
Competitive landscape mapping and market share analysis
Regulatory and structural headwinds assessment
02
Revenue Sustainability
Will the Revenue Hold After Closing?
Customer concentration, churn analysis, pricing power assessment, and contract durability review. The questions that protect deal value – and that sellers don't volunteer answers to.
Customer concentration and top-10 customer dependency analysis
Contract backlog review and renewal rate assessment
Pricing sustainability and competitive pressure analysis
03
Investment Thesis Validation
Does the Deal Thesis Hold Up?
We independently test the strategic rationale – synergies, cross-selling assumptions, market entry thesis – against UAE and GCC market reality before you sign.
Strategic rationale and synergy assumption testing
Management team assessment and key-person dependency
Cross-selling and revenue synergy achievability
04
UAE & GCC Context
What Changes Locally Post-Acquisition?
UAE-specific considerations that most international CDD misses: free zone vs mainland dynamics, expat workforce dependency, government relationship risk, and UAE corporate tax implications for the deal structure.
Free zone vs mainland entity structure implications
Government and regulatory relationship risk assessment
UAE CT and VAT implications for the deal structure
Valuation Services
Business & Asset Valuation UAE & GCC
Independent, CFA-led valuations for every purpose – M&A transactions, shareholder disputes, bank financing, IFRS reporting, Golden Visa, and UAE corporate tax compliance.
DCF, EV/EBITDA multiples, NAV, and SOTP. IVS compliant. Accepted by UAE banks, auditors, and the FTA. From AED 10,000. For M&A, shareholder disputes, family business exits, bank financing, Golden Visa, and UAE CT compliance.
RICS and IVS compliant property valuations accepted for UAE Golden Visa (AED 2M threshold), bank financing, IFRS reporting, and dispute resolution. Residential, commercial, and portfolio. Fast turnaround.
Equity and debt fundraising advisory for growth-stage and mid-market businesses across the UAE, GCC, and EMEA. From Series A to pre-IPO rounds. Every engagement principal-led.
Equity story development and investment thesis positioning
Institutional-grade pitch decks and investor presentations
Integrated three-statement financial models with scenario analysis
Investor identification across GCC family offices, regional PE, and sovereign funds
Series A through pre-IPO advisory and process management
Debt financing advisory – structure, instrument selection, and lender negotiations
Islamic finance structures – sukuk, murabaha, ijara across the GCC
Capital Raising Pricing
Pitch Deck & Investment MemoAED 12K – 30K
Financial Model (integrated 3-statement)AED 8K – 25K
Full Capital Raise MandateSuccess Fee
Debt Financing AdvisoryAED 15K – 40K
Fixed fee agreed before work begins. No hourly billing. No scope creep.
Client Reviews
What Clients Say About Our Transaction Advisory Work
★★★★★
"Our FDD identified AED 8M in EBITDA adjustments the seller's IM had completely obscured. The investment committee used the QoE report directly to renegotiate pricing and structure an earn-out. The engagement paid for itself many times over."
Investment Director, UAE Private Equity Fund
Private Equity, GCC
★★★★★
"Corvian's CDD gave us an independent view of the UAE market that directly contradicted the seller's management presentation. We renegotiated on that basis and saved AED 6M on the purchase price. Exactly the rigorous challenge we needed."
CFO, UAE Healthcare Group
Healthcare & Clinics, Dubai
★★★★★
"We used Corvian for FDD on a cross-border India–UAE transaction. Their understanding of both markets – and the specific UAE CT implications of the deal structure – was exactly what we needed. Delivered on time, within budget, and accepted by our auditors."
Managing Director, GCC Family Office
Family Office, GCC & India
★★★★★4.9 / 5Based on 3 verified client reviews
Pricing Overview
Transparent Pricing – Every Service, Fixed Fee
We publish pricing because most advisory firms don't. Every engagement starts with a fixed-scope proposal – agreed before any work begins.
Financial Due Diligence – Most Requested
AED 20K – 80K
approx. USD 5,500 – 22,000
QoE, working capital, net debt, UAE CT exposure. Scope depends on target complexity and years of financials reviewed.
Commercial Due Diligence
AED 18K – 55K
approx. USD 5,000 – 15,000
Market sizing, competitive assessment, investment thesis validation, UAE-specific risk factors. Standalone or combined with FDD.
Business Valuation
AED 10K – 50K
approx. USD 2,700 – 14,000
DCF, EV/EBITDA, NAV, SOTP. IVS compliant. Accepted by banks, auditors, and FTA. 2–4 week delivery.
Intangible / IP Valuation
AED 15K – 80K
approx. USD 4,100 – 22,000
Single asset (AED 15–35K) to full IFRS 3 PPA (AED 30–80K). Includes auditor liaison and Big 4 sign-off.
Property Valuation
AED 3K – 18K
Residential from AED 3K. Commercial from AED 6K. Portfolio rates available. RICS compliant. GDRFA accepted.
Pitch Deck / Financial Model
AED 8K – 30K
Institutional-grade pitch decks and integrated 3-statement models for fundraising and board-level decisions.
Our commitment: Every engagement begins with a fixed-scope proposal. The fee you see is the fee you pay. No hourly billing, no scope creep, no surprises at invoice.
Firm Comparison
Transaction Advisory & FDD Firms in Dubai – How Corvian Compares – 2026
Benchmarked on credentials, scope (FDD + CDD + Valuation), delivery time, pricing, and GCC coverage.
What is financial due diligence (FDD) and when do you need it in the UAE?
Financial due diligence (FDD) is an independent investigation of a target company's financial statements before you commit capital to an acquisition. In the UAE, it typically covers quality of earnings (QoE) – separating recurring from one-off profits – working capital analysis, net debt identification, UAE corporate tax exposure, EOSB liabilities, and VAT compliance. You need FDD before completing any business acquisition, management buyout, or private equity investment – commissioned after the LOI is signed and before the SPA. See the full scope on our financial due diligence page.
What is commercial due diligence (CDD) and how is it different from FDD?
Financial due diligence (FDD) validates whether the financial numbers are real and sustainable. Commercial due diligence (CDD) validates whether the business model itself is defensible – market size, competitive position, revenue sustainability, and the investment thesis. Both are typically required before completing an acquisition in the UAE. FDD tells you whether the EBITDA is real; CDD tells you whether it will grow.
How much does financial due diligence cost in the UAE?
Financial due diligence fees at Corvian Advisory range from AED 20,000 to AED 80,000 depending on the target's complexity, number of entities, and years of financials reviewed. All fees are fixed-scope and agreed before work begins. There is no hourly billing.
What is quality of earnings (QoE) analysis?
Quality of earnings (QoE) analysis identifies which earnings in a target business are truly recurring and sustainable – and which are inflated by one-time items, owner-related adjustments, or accounting choices that will not persist post-acquisition. A QoE report bridges from reported EBITDA to a normalised EBITDA that a buyer or investment committee can base a valuation on. In the UAE, common QoE adjustments include above-market owner compensation, related-party transactions at non-arm's-length terms, and EOSB liabilities not reflected in reported profits.
What transaction advisory services does Corvian Advisory provide?
Corvian Advisory provides full-service transaction advisory in the UAE and GCC including financial due diligence (FDD), commercial due diligence (CDD), business valuation, intangible asset and IP valuation, property valuation, purchase price allocation (PPA) under IFRS 3, goodwill impairment testing, capital raising advisory, pitch deck and financial model preparation, and debt financing advisory. Every engagement is principal-led by a CFA Charterholder with Big 4 training.
How long does financial due diligence take in the UAE?
Most FDD engagements in the UAE are completed within 3 to 6 weeks from receipt of the data room. Simple single-entity businesses may be completed in 2 to 3 weeks. Complex multi-entity groups or businesses with limited financial records may take 6 to 8 weeks. We agree the timeline in the engagement letter before work begins.
What does UAE corporate tax mean for transaction due diligence?
Since the UAE introduced 9% corporate tax in 2023, every acquisition due diligence engagement must now include a UAE CT exposure review. This covers the target's CT registration status, FTA filing position, deferred tax liabilities, transfer pricing risks between related entities, and the tax treatment of the deal structure itself. Corvian Advisory includes UAE CT exposure review as a standard component of all FDD engagements.
Financial Due Diligence & Transaction Advisory Dubai – Fixed Fee. Fast Turnaround.