Aref Ahli currently serves as the Executive Director of the Budget and Planning Division in the Department of Finance of the Government of Dubai, a position he has held since 2011. He held various positions at Dubai Municipality from 1989 to 2010. He served as a financial expert in the courts of the UAE from 1994 to 1996 and as a manager in the audit office from 1993 to 2001. He is an active member of the Association of UAE Accountants and Auditors and a member of the International Arab Society of Certified Accountants. He is a certified lecturer and Knowledge Ambassador at the Mohammed bin Rashid School of Government. Aref is a member of various judicial committees and the Government Financial Policy Coordination Council at the UAE level.
Aref holds a Bachelor's degree in Accounting from UAE University and is a certified auditor by the Audit Department of the Ministry of Economy.