Ahmed Abonamah

CFO of the Cleveland Cavaliers

Ahmed A. Abonamah is an accomplished finance and legal expert with extensive experience spanning both the public and private sectors. He currently serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Rock Entertainment Group and the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers, where he oversees all financial operations of the franchise and various sports and entertainment brands.

Ahmed earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the University of Dayton and his Juris Doctor, cum laude, from Case Western Reserve University School of Law.

Early in his career, Ahmed served as a public finance attorney at Squire Patton Boggs, serving as bond counsel on general obligation financings, revenue bond issues, and conduit bond issues. In 2016, Ahmed joined the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), where he spent six years in progressively senior roles, including as Deputy Director of the Office of Municipal Securities and, ultimately, as Director of the Office of Credit Ratings, leading critical regulatory initiatives in the municipal securities and credit ratings markets.

In February 2022, Ahmed joined Mayor Justin Bibb's administration as Chief Financial Officer and Director of Finance for the City of Cleveland. He managed over 300 professionals and oversaw the city's budgets, achieving bond rating upgrades from both Moody's and Fitch, and played a key leadership role in the Administration’s most critical priorities.

Outside of work, Ahmed serves on the Board of Directors of the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board, Archbishop Hoban High School, and the Boys and Girls Club of Northeast Ohio; and on the Audit Committee of Accountability Counsel. He resides in Cleveland’s Ohio City neighborhood with his wife and three children.