A boy on a remote farm, raised by his grandmother, learns to stretch what little he has across a long day’s work. Four decades later that same instinct — make every resource count — governs the books of a trading company spread across four Saudi cities. Nasser Sumagina Gumiran, known to friends as Nash, has spent 18 years turning the arithmetic of a hard childhood into the discipline of corporate finance.
Today he serves as Country Head for Accounts & Finance at Mariam Trading Company, based at the firm’s headquarters in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where he oversees financial operations across Riyadh, Dammam, and Al Khobar. It is a long way — geographically and otherwise — from the village where his story began.
The village that built him
Nash grew up with no shortcuts. His father is Ilocano from Tabuk, Kalinga, in the northern Philippines; his mother belongs to the Iranun Muslim community of Matanog, Maguindanao del Norte, in the south. He was raised largely by his grandmother, spending much of his childhood on a farm and attending public schools throughout.
Those years shaped a worldview. “Success is not defined by privilege, but by one’s willingness to learn, perseverance, and determination to grow,” he shares with TGFM. Resilience, discipline, and humility were earned early and carried forward. Those humble beginnings, he explains, “continue to guide me through integrity, accountability, continuous learning, and a commitment to excellence.”
Learning the trade, one role at a time
The finance executive did not reach a country-head title in one leap. His career began at home as a bookkeeper at Alhayat Foundation, Inc., an NGO serving underprivileged communities in Cotabato City — a first job that showed him “how financial stewardship can support meaningful social causes.” From there he moved to Mantilla-Roja Accounting Firm in Pasay City as an accountant, building a foundation in accounting, financial reporting, taxation, and audit support.
Then came the move that changed his trajectory. In the Kingdom of Bahrain, he joined a company as a senior accountant — and what happened next surprised even him. His leadership drew notice, and he was appointed Head of the Human Resources Department, a role he held for three years. A finance man running HR is not the usual path, and it stretched him. It allowed him, he says, “to integrate financial management with people leadership,” managing not just balance sheets but employee development and engagement.
That detour proved formative. It taught him that finance leadership is inseparable from people leadership — a lesson that now defines how he runs an entire country’s operations. His reason for leaving the Philippines was the one shared by millions of overseas workers: a better future for his family, and opportunities hard to find at home amid economic challenges and limited career growth.
Finance as more than numbers
Ask him what keeps him in the field, and the answer is not about spreadsheets. What he enjoys most, he says, is “the opportunity to make a real impact through financial leadership and decision-making.” He chose finance because he likes solving business challenges and helping organizations grow, and the most satisfying part is watching his contributions strengthen governance and sharpen decisions.
He insists the discipline is bigger than reporting. Finance, in his view, “is a strategic business partner that provides insight, manages risk, creates value, and enables informed decisions.” His current mandate reflects that: strengthening financial governance, ensuring regulatory compliance, tightening internal controls, and supporting the strategic decisions that drive sustainable growth. There is a mentoring streak, too. Beyond the metrics, he takes pride in helping younger colleagues grow professionally.
Settling abroad was never easy. The hardest part, he admits, was the distance from family. He got through it by staying focused, keeping a positive outlook, and taking things “one step at a time.” His family remained his biggest source of motivation, their sacrifices fueling his own.
Carrying it home
For all his years in the Kingdom, his eyes remain on eventual return. He hopes to come home “with a grateful heart,” carrying his experience into service — supporting financial literacy, responsible business practices, and the development of young professionals, especially in communities where education and mentorship can leave a lasting mark.
His advice to fellow kababayans abroad is grounded in the same values he has lived by. He urges them to stay patient and purpose-driven through the loneliness and financial pressure, to manage money wisely and avoid unnecessary debt, and to guard their reputation above all. “Your reputation is one of your greatest assets,” he says — a conviction that has carried him from a Matanog farm to the ledgers of one of Saudi Arabia’s growing enterprises. Where he began, he has learned, never had to define where he could go.
