Business Strategy
Strategic Planning Consultant
Planning that ties ambition to budget, capacity and delivery.
Handle acts as strategic planning consultant to boards and executive teams — designing planning cycles that connect vision with budgets, people and systems, so each plan sets clear priorities, allocates resources realistically and is reviewed until it delivers.
When this is needed
Strategic Planning Consultant in the UAE: where the mandate begins.
- Strategic planning is an annual event, and the plan is forgotten once the budget is approved.
- Business units plan in different formats, and leadership cannot consolidate or compare them.
- Plans are set without reference to capital, capacity or risk appetite, and delivery keeps slipping.
- Conditions are shifting, and the organisation needs mid-cycle checkpoints to adjust course.
Matters Handle leads
Strategic planning mandates.
Four mandate types. One planning cycle that leadership controls.
Planning Process Design
Annual and multi-year strategic planning cycles set up.
Goal & Priority Setting
Facilitated agreement on clear, aligned strategic priorities.
Resource & Capacity Planning
People, capital and systems aligned with planned initiatives.
Review & Refresh Cycles
Review routines that keep plans current and actionable.
The scope
Strategic Planning Consultant — scope, made explicit.
A focused, premium mandate — with the planning calendar, the budget and the executive team at the center.
Planning Assessment
Current planning practices and gaps assessed.
Planning Calendar
A structured calendar of planning milestones and deliverables.
Plan Templates
Common templates for business unit and function-level plans.
Facilitated Workshops
Partner-led planning and review sessions that drive agreement.
Monitoring & Adjustment
Mid-cycle monitoring and adjustment mechanisms built in.
The mandate
From annual event to managed cycle.
Strategic planning demands clarity, prioritisation and disciplined frameworks. Handle structures planning cycles grounded in capability, budget and measurable outcomes, so plans are realistic before they are approved.
Each plan is aligned with capital, resources and risk appetite. Built-in checkpoints let leadership adjust as conditions change without losing direction.
What the mandate delivers
- Annual and multi-year planning cycles
- Strategic goals and priorities
- Resource, capital and capacity alignment
- Business unit and function plan templates
- KPI and reporting frameworks
- Scenario planning and review checkpoints
How the work runs
Four disciplines. One realistic plan.
Every strategic planning mandate is run with framework, alignment, resource and review control.
01
Planning Framework Design
Planning structures aligned with the governance model.
02
Facilitated Alignment
Partner-led sessions that drive clarity and agreement.
03
Resource Alignment
Plans matched to financial and operational capacity.
04
Checkpoints & Reviews
Review points that adjust plans as conditions change.
The Handle model
Practice-led. Never fragmented.
The work may begin here — it stays connected to strategy, capital and law.
Strategy & Operations
The work stays connected to market position, operating model, performance and execution governance.
M&A & Capital
The work stays aware of capital readiness, investor review, transaction logic and deployment discipline where relevant.
Legal & Regulatory
The work stays protected through structure, rights, governance, enforceability and regulatory or dispute readiness.
Why Handle
Plans that leadership can rely on.
Handle gives boards and executives a reliable cycle for setting direction, allocating resources and reviewing performance — and connects it to the capital plan that funds the strategy.
- Structured planning cycles for leadership
- Priority setting grounded in commercial logic
- Capacity and resource planning aligned to objectives
- Executive facilitation for alignment
- Scenario planning for uncertainty
- Partner-led mandates with institutional discipline
Before offering your business for M&A, you must raise it with discipline. Strengthen governance, restore financial clarity, and sharpen strategy. A parented business attracts investors with confidence, not discounts.
Mohamed abu El-MakaremManaging Partner & Chairman
Engagement paths
Where this work typically begins.
Growth & Expansion
When the asset must scale capacity, geography, capital, partnerships or market share.
Turnaround
When the asset must reset structure, capital, law, governance and operations under pressure.
Coverage
Connected across the strategy practice.
Handle acts as strategic planning consultant to boards and leadership teams across the UAE and the wider region.
Related service lines · Business Strategy
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Across the Handle model
Questions, answered
Strategic Planning Consultant — questions, answered.
How Handle works as a strategic planning consultant to build plans that deliver.
What does a strategic planning consultant do?
A strategic planning consultant structures planning cycles, priorities and alignment frameworks.
Why hire a strategic planning consultant?
For neutrality and the structured discipline that internal planning often lacks.
How long does a strategic planning engagement take?
Typically two to ten weeks.
What should a strategic plan contain?
Goals, initiatives, KPIs, responsibilities and governance.
Who owns the strategic plan?
The leadership team owns the plan, supported by the consultant.
What is the consultant’s role in planning?
The consultant establishes the structure, templates and process.
Can a strategic planning consultant help keep plans on track?
Yes. Review cycles and KPI tracking keep plans on course.
How does planning connect to the budget?
Planning aligns directly with capital and resource allocation.
Does structured planning improve team engagement?
Yes. Clarity on priorities increases engagement.
What does Handle provide as a strategic planning consultant?
Planning frameworks, governance and execution support.
Insights
Perspectives from live mandates.
Partner-led analysis on law, capital and strategy, shaped by boardroom realities across the UAE and the GCC.
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Work with Handle
Begin with Strategic Planning Consultant — kept connected to the whole Handle model.
When the plan must match the budget and the capacity behind it.
Request an initial review
When strategic planning must produce realistic plans.
Set out the matter. A partner reviews it and responds with a defined route, strategy and accountable lead.
- Partner-level review of every request
- Strict confidentiality and privilege from first contact
- One accountable partner from review to execution
