Tell me about your career journey so far, and the path that led you to Singulier. Give me the highlights. 

I spent my early career in strategy consulting and was very fortunate to travel all around the world and engage with some amazing clients, which includes focusing on some of the really big macro changes impacting on the global economy.  I have gone on to hold a number of executive roles in global software businesses, including in the capacity of Group COO and as a Senior Vice President, where I have been able to put this into practice.

Having worked alongside PE for many years, it made sense for me to join with Singulier and align its core capabilities in data, AI and technology against the rapidly evolving opportunities and challenges that many portfolio companies are now facing.

You’ve held Executive roles in large companies and now advise PE funds and their portfolio leaders at Singulier. What single factor most reliably turns a digital or AI initiative into measurable EBITDA improvement?

For me, it has always been about having clarity and focus.  Clarity and focus on what you are solving for, what the impact will be and what the business case really is.    

Too often, digital and AI solutions are implemented without taking the opportunity to fully consider business implications and / or without a clear overarching commercial objective – leading to confusion and missed opportunity.   

Alignment around the business opportunity, coupled with pragmatism around what is realistically achievable are key to achieving measurable impact.

Rapid expansion and bolt-on deals can stretch any organisation. Which day-to-day practice keeps globally distributed, matrix teams pulling in the same direction?

In my experience there is a simple yet overlooked practice, namely communicating with absolute clarity on the superordinate purpose for the combined organisation, whilst respecting the history and contribution of each business that has been brought together. Getting this wrong sends a confused signal to the organisation – leading to misalignment and inefficiency.  Trust your talent, respect their respective organisational experiences, but align them behind a common unifying purpose.

Singulier is still a relatively young firm in a crowded advisory market. What differentiates its approach to technology-led value creation for PE portfolios – and how will you build on that as Managing Partner?

Singulier has a powerful mix of strategy, technology, data and AI capabilities, overlayed with UX and design.  This means that not only can we focus on solutions that make commercial sense for our clients, we can also iterate prototypes in a highly collaborative way and show the value early on.  This combination of capabilities, combined with an outcome led approach means that we can deliver value at pace in a way that is rooted in the commercial and operational realities of our clients.

In my role, I seek to create the right platforms for our clients, people and partners to come together and deliver tangible value – incrementally and with purpose – shaping the future together.

Clarity, Collaboration, and Commercial Impact

Andrew Dawson’s arrival marks a continued investment in Singulier’s ability to deliver commercially grounded, tech-enabled impact for private equity and portfolio leaders. To learn more about how Singulier’s integrated approach can unlock value in your business, get in touch.