IWhere we come in
Middle East / GCC Overview
Gulf compliance, handled by people who know both ends of the transaction.
ZATCA, UAE Corporate Tax, VAT and IFRS reporting — for GCC businesses, and for Pakistani groups expanding into the Gulf.
The Gulf's compliance environment has changed faster in five years than in the previous twenty-five. Saudi Arabia's e-invoicing mandate, UAE Corporate Tax, Economic Substance Regulations and transfer pricing documentation now carry real penalties — and most of the work is finance-function work, not local-licence work. That is where we operate.
We are established in Saudi Arabia or the UAE and our compliance calendar has outgrown what we manage in-house.
ZATCA, Zakat, UAE Corporate Tax and VAT handled as an ongoing function, not a once-a-year scramble.
Saudi Arabia's e-invoicing mandate is moving to the next phase and we're not sure we're ready.
Fatoora Phase 2 integration readiness, assessed against what your systems actually do today.
We are a Pakistani business expanding into Saudi Arabia or the UAE.
Entity structuring, Pakistan tax consequences and a coordinated calendar across both jurisdictions.
We need a local statutory audit opinion.
We prepare the file to audit-ready standard; your licensed local auditor reviews and signs.
Our Gulf entity's books and payroll need running from outside the region.
Bookkeeping, payroll and management reporting delivered remotely from Islamabad.
We have intercompany or shareholder loans between a Gulf entity and a Pakistan entity.
Fair valuation under IFRS 9, on both sides of the transaction.
IIWhat we do
What we handle for GCC clients
We are precise about what is available in the Gulf versus Pakistan, rather than implying everything is available everywhere.
| Service line | Saudi Arabia & UAE |
|---|---|
| Audit & Assurance | Audit readiness only |
| Internal Audit & ICFR | Yes |
| Tax & Regulatory | ZATCA, UAE CT, VAT |
| Deals & Transaction Advisory | Yes |
| Risk & Forensic | Yes |
| Accounting & Outsourcing | Yes |
| Advisory & Consulting | Yes |
| Technology & Digital | Yes |
| Corporate & Secretarial | Advisory only |
| Financial Instruments & IFRS 9 | Yes |
| ESG & Sustainability | Yes |
Full availability by market, including Pakistan and UK/US/Canada →
For businesses established in the Gulf
Compliance and reporting support for entities established in Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
- ZATCA VAT registration, returns and Zakat computation support
- E-invoicing (Fatoora) Phase 2 integration readiness
- UAE Corporate Tax registration, computation and first-return readiness
- UAE VAT returns and Economic Substance Regulation assessments
- IFRS financial statement preparation — including IFRS as endorsed in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- IFRS 9 expected credit loss modelling and provision matrices for GCC receivables portfolios
- Fair valuation of financial instruments under IFRS 13, Levels 1 to 3
- Bookkeeping, payroll and management reporting
- Audit readiness — we prepare the file and schedules; your licensed local auditor reviews and signs
For Pakistani businesses expanding into the Gulf
Structuring and cross-border support for groups moving into Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
- Entity and holding-structure options, and their Pakistan tax consequences
- Pakistan–GCC cross-border tax and treaty positioning
- Transfer pricing documentation for related-party flows
- Group consolidation where a GCC entity sits above or below a Pakistan entity
- Intercompany and shareholder loan fair valuation under IFRS 9 across both jurisdictions
- Profit repatriation, forex and SBP compliance
- Coordinated reporting across both jurisdictions, on one calendar
Each market and service combination has its own page — start with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, or the Pakistan–GCC Cross-Border page depending on which side of the transaction you're on.
IIIDelivery model
How we work in the Gulf
A Gulf structure has Pakistan tax consequences, transfer pricing exposure and a repatriation route. Advisers who see only one end of the transaction optimise one end of it.
Where we stand today
MAC serves GCC clients remotely from Islamabad. A physical Gulf presence is planned. We do not hold SOCPA or UAE Ministry of Economy auditor licensing and do not perform statutory audit in those jurisdictions — where a local audit opinion is required, we prepare the file to audit-ready standard and work alongside your licensed auditor.
Middle East enquiries: gcc@mac.org.pk
Delivery from Islamabad works because most Gulf compliance work is finance-function work — bookkeeping, tax computation, VAT and Zakat filing, IFRS reporting, audit-file preparation — not work that requires a local licence to perform. Where a local licence is required, we say so plainly rather than implying otherwise, and we hand off to your own licensed professional at the right point. See the Audit Readiness Support page for exactly how that handoff works.
IVCommon questions
Questions we are asked
Do you hold audit licensing in Saudi Arabia or the UAE?
No. We do not hold SOCPA or UAE Ministry of Economy auditor licensing and do not perform statutory audit in those jurisdictions. Where a local audit opinion is required, we prepare the file and schedules to audit-ready standard and your licensed local auditor reviews and signs.
Where is the work actually done?
Remotely from our Islamabad office. A physical Gulf presence is planned but not yet in place — we're upfront about that rather than implying a local office that doesn't exist.
Can you help with Saudi Arabia's Fatoora e-invoicing mandate?
Yes — Phase 2 integration readiness, assessed against your current systems and invoicing process.
Do you handle both the Gulf side and the Pakistan side of a cross-border structure?
Yes, this is a large part of what we do. See the Pakistan–GCC Cross-Border page for the structuring, transfer pricing, consolidation and repatriation work involved.
What if we only need help with one thing, like VAT registration?
That's fine — engagements are scoped to what's actually needed, not sold as a bundle. A single-issue engagement is as normal as an ongoing compliance relationship.
How do we get in touch about Gulf work specifically?
gcc@mac.org.pk reaches the team directly, or use the contact form below.
Related
Go deeper on your market
Let's work together
Ready to talk about your Gulf compliance?
Start with a conversation — a partner will tell you what's realistic before anything is scoped. There is no charge for the first one.