In the dynamic landscape of leadership, finding a balance between personal fulfillment, professional growth, and motivating others can be a formidable challenge. For leaders like David Gumley, Managing Director and Partner at ADAPTOVATE, this challenge is not just about achieving milestones or collecting accolades, but about continually improving and forming meaningful connections.
Through his journey, David has embraced setbacks as stepping stones, setting small, achievable goals each day and week, always focused on incremental gains. Aspiring leaders can draw inspiration from David’s approach, learning to navigate the complexities of leadership with determination and purpose.
Transitioning from Football to Finance: A Career Journey Marked by Tenacity and Adaptability
Before ADAPTOVATE, David’s career aspirations were focused on playing professional football, after his family relocated from Australia to pursue his dreams of playing in the Scottish top-flight league, however, after a few years and lack of first team game time, he realised that he needed to adjust his career aspirations accordingly, a decision he now sees as correct. Reflecting on this time, he acknowledges, “I didn’t have the technique or skill to have made it at the top level, but my work ethic, tenacity, drive, and energy allowed me to have a decent career in the lower leagues until my mid- thirties.
After realizing football wasn’t his path, David shifted his focus to a career in business, particularly banking. He joined the Barclays Capital graduate program and found his niche after several rotations within the investment bank, settling in Sales & Trading. Describing his role, he says, “The trading side was great! Executing buy and sell orders to generate profits by capitalizing on market opportunities whilst managing risks, monitoring market trends, and assessing market liquidity.”
Despite thriving in the trading environment, David found his “sweet spot” in Sales. He excelled in building and maintaining relationships with institutional clients, providing tailored market insights and execution services. David became adept at quickly building rapport and trust, allowing him to reach a trusted advisor level with clients early on and creating significant opportunities for the bank.
After nine years at Barclays Capital, David transitioned to the consulting world, working for EY in London in their transactions and M&A team. His role involved winning new clients by developing relationships and understanding their needs. This opportunity allowed him to build a network across Europe and eventually in Asia, where he engineered a move to Sydney with EY.
In Sydney, David joined EY’s APAC Consulting business to lead their Business Development Team. His role involved supporting the growth agenda across markets, identifying opportunities to increase EY’s share of wallet across its marquee accounts, and assisting service line and market leaders in achieving revenue growth numbers.
Balancing Personal Fulfillment, Professional Growth, and Positive Impact
David believes every leader has a unique definition of success. “To me, success means balancing personal fulfillment, professional growth, and positive impact, not just achieving milestones or collecting accolades, but continually improving and forming meaningful connections,” he says.
For David, waking up daily with purpose and passion is crucial. He believes that fostering a collaborative, trusting, and empowering team culture is essential for everyone to thrive. “It’s waking up daily with purpose and passion, knowing my work aligns with my values and contributes to something greater,” David explains.
Resilience and adaptability are also key components of David’s definition of success. He sees failure not as a setback but as an opportunity to learn and grow. “Success involves fostering a collaborative, trusting, and empowering team culture where everyone thrives. It also entails resilience and adaptability, embracing failure as an opportunity, and daring to explore new paths,” he states.
Ultimately, for David, success is an ongoing journey of excellence and fulfillment. It is about harmonizing ambition with contentment and always striving for more while appreciating progress and the present moment.
Embracing Dynamic Opportunities and Innovation
David spent nearly 15 years at Ernst & Young (EY), working in Europe within their Transactions business before leading the Business Development & Markets team for their Consulting business in the APAC region. Before EY, he spent a decade in various sales and trading roles at Barclays Capital. Having only experienced life within large organizations, David felt it was time to explore more dynamic, entrepreneurial opportunities.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, he was introduced to Doug Ross, Co-Founder and Chairman of ADAPTOVATE. Doug was looking for someone to bring market and business development disciplines to the company, win new clients for diversification, and develop partnership channels to continue ADAPTOVATE’s phenomenal growth since its inception in 2017.
Doug’s enthusiasm, passion, and energy were infectious, and they hit it off immediately. David shares, “Joining ADAPTOVATE wasn’t so much a step of faith, but more a leap of belief! We spent a few hours around a whiteboard, planning and plotting a growth strategy, followed by a few bottles of wine over lunch. I remember going home and saying to my wife that evening, saying that I’d found it. The type of business and opportunity that would get me excited and motivated again, every day.”
David was inspired by Doug and his co-founders, Paul McNamara and Alex Rebkowksi, and their deep-rooted belief in the transformative power of innovation and agility in driving organizational success. They aimed to help businesses navigate complex challenges and embrace change with confidence and agility. Having spent years in various leadership roles, David recognized the pressing need for organizations to adapt and evolve in the face of rapid technological advancements, shifting market dynamics, and changing consumer expectations.
“ADAPTOVATE’s approach to transformation resonated with me because it emphasizes collaboration, flexibility, and continuous improvement—values that I hold dear in my leadership philosophy,” David notes. ADAPTOVATE’s culture of innovation and excellence aligned perfectly with David’s professional aspirations and personal values. Moreover, the opportunity to work alongside a diverse team of talented individuals who share a passion for innovation and excellence was incredibly compelling.
Driving Business Success Through Innovative Solutions and Strategic Partnerships
ADAPTOVATE helps businesses navigate complex challenges and embrace change through innovation and agility. “Our services include organizational transformation, emphasizing collaboration, flexibility, and continuous improvement to help businesses adapt,” notes David. This approach helps businesses adapt to technological advancements, shifting market dynamics, and changing consumer expectations.
ADAPTOVATE’s goal is to empower businesses to thrive in an ever-changing world through adaptive leadership and innovative thinking. The company works closely with diverse teams of professionals to foster a culture of curiosity, creativity, and client-centricity. It takes a unique approach to working with clients. David explains, “How we work with our clients is also quite different, bringing a real practical and pragmatic approach, working ‘hand in glove’ with our clients to build their teams capability, so that they can achieve their desired outcomes, typically faster.”
David’s contribution to ADAPTOVATE’s growth and success includes his role in leveraging his network and connections. He has cultivated this network over the years, across various regions and industries where he has worked. It serves as an investment of time and effort that yields valuable returns in terms of opportunities, knowledge, support, and connections.
Additionally, David has brought in-market cadence and disciplines, particularly around managing pipelines, key account planning and stakeholder mapping, and some pitching and pursuit coaching. “ADAPTOVATE was certainly already highly successful, well before I joined. However, I guess what I have been able to bring, has been my network and connections,” David reflects.
Embracing Challenges as Opportunities for Growth
David has faced numerous challenges throughout his career, each teaching him valuable lessons. One significant challenge was his experience in soccer, where he was advised at a young age that he wouldn’t make it to the top level. Despite this setback, David continued to pursue playing semi-professionally while establishing a career in the corporate world.
During the coveted Investment Banking graduate program at Barclays Capital, David faced various challenges, from understanding cultural nuances when doing business in other regions to pitching ideas to executives. “I made many mistakes along the way, but always learned from those lessons,” he recalls.
David quickly realized that to be successful in the corporate world, he had to embrace these challenges and use them as motivation to continually strive for improvement and success. His motto, “Attack the Day,” reflects his approach to facing challenges with a fresh outlook every morning, regardless of the previous day’s events. David approaches each day with positivity and motivation, ready to tackle whatever challenges come his way.
Nurturing a Dynamic and Inclusive Team Culture
David ensures a culture of integrity and innovation in his team through a comprehensive approach that includes leadership by example, fostering a learning organization, prioritizing cultural fit during hiring, promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion, and supporting a collaborative environment. “We try to do this in several ways,” David explains. “As senior leaders, we try to demonstrate integrity by articulating the organization’s core values clearly and consistently.”
They provide examples of cultural values in action, avoid ambiguity, and set a precedent for the entire team to follow. They also encourage continuous learning at the individual, team, and organizational levels through clear communication, curiosity, and collaboration, creating an environment where innovation can flourish.
“Cultural fit is really important to us when recruiting new team members to ensure that they align with the values of innovation and adaptability,” David notes. This approach helps in building a team that naturally fosters a culture of innovation. Promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion is another key aspect of their approach. The People & Culture team ensures equitable systems and policies are in place, fostering an environment that values all voices and fosters psychological safety.
David acknowledges their efforts, stating, “We do our best at promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. We have a fabulous People & Culture team, led by Lene Marx, who have employed a diverse team and ensure that equitable systems and policies are in place. We provide Collaboration tools and encourage practices such as stand-up meetings, team challenge sessions, and retrospectives that promote a culture of collaboration and innovation.”
Additionally, they hold biweekly lessons learned sessions and encourage recognition of efforts on a global forum, aligning with the continuous improvement and innovation culture. “This practice aligns with the continuous improvement and innovation culture, where the team learns from past experiences and celebrates successes,” David explains.
Navigating Challenges and Inspiring the Next Generation in the Consulting Industry
David acknowledges that thriving as a leader in the consulting industry is no easy feat. “I think every leader in the consulting industry would say it is a difficult industry to navigate, let alone thrive,” he reflects. The industry demands a blend of strategic vision, strong leadership skills, adaptability, and a relentless focus on delivering value to clients while effectively managing internal operations and talent.
“I feel I have learned from the mistakes I have made along my leadership journey, tried to be humble, learned to build trust early with relationships, and overall tried to be fun to be around,” David reflects. The long hours, extensive travel, and time away from loved ones can create a high-pressure environment, but maintaining a sense of fun has been crucial for David and his teams to stay motivated and achieve their goals.
David takes to heart the responsibility of making an influential impact on the next generation of leaders. He emphasizes leading by example, demonstrating integrity, empathy, and a commitment to continuous learning and growth. “Making an influential impact on the next generation of leaders is a responsibility I take to heart,” he shares. “I try to inspire our future leaders by mentoring and coaching individuals at various stages of their careers.”
David believes in the power of education and knowledge-sharing and aspires to contribute to leadership development programs, workshops, and seminars. Through these platforms, he imparts valuable insights, shares practical experiences, and stimulates critical thinking among emerging leaders.
“I am committed to promoting diversity and creating inclusive environments where individuals from all backgrounds feel valued, respected, and empowered,” David emphasizes. His passion lies in empowering others to reach their full potential and make a positive difference in their organizations and communities.
Envisioning the Future: Growth and Adaptation in a Rapidly Changing Corporate Landscape
David’s vision for the future of ADAPTOVATE is anchored in the recognition of the rapidly evolving corporate landscape, driven by technological advancements, geopolitical shifts, and economic fluctuations. He emphasizes the need for ADAPTOVATE to stay ahead of these changes and prepare their clients for the future. “The world in which we operate continues to move fast, particularly in the corporate world,” David notes.
ADAPTOVATE’s core service offerings from 5 to 6 years ago have become less relevant, prompting the firm to pivot towards advising clients on contemporary issues such as Artificial Intelligence, sustainability strategies, continuous performance improvement, and sustainable cost and productivity dividends. The firm is committed to understanding the current challenges faced by clients and devising effective solutions. “Our team is continuously learning, always being curious about what challenges are impacting our clients,” David adds.
As ADAPTOVATE continues to evolve, David’s vision is for the firm to become the global leader in this space. He aims to grow the business by 50 percent in the next two years and expand by opening additional offices to better serve clients. This vision underscores the importance of adaptability, continuous learning, and proactive client engagement in ensuring that ADAPTOVATE not only meets but anticipates the needs of its clients in an ever-changing world.
Navigating Dynamic Responsibilities and Driving Growth
As the Managing Director and Partner of ADAPTOVATE, David is primarily responsible for driving the revenue and profitability growth of the Australia and New Zealand business. He also supports regional and office leaders in other areas to achieve similar growth objectives. David’s days are dynamic and rarely repetitive. His role requires significant interstate and trans-Tasman travel,
“I spend the majority of my time with clients and channel partners, understanding how we can continuously improve on the service levels we provide them, and where else in their businesses we can look to support,” David shares. In addition to working with existing clients, he actively pursues prospective clients by leveraging his extensive networks, building new relationships, and staying attuned to market needs.
David’s schedule frequently includes attending conferences, round tables, and industry events to remain updated on developments within clients’ ecosystems. He also invests time in continuous learning, utilizing travel periods to read whitepapers, and industry reports, and listen to podcasts covering various business topics and industry verticals. This enables him to stay knowledgeable and effectively engage in conversations, often bringing in subject matter experts when needed.
“In my role, I need to know enough to be ‘semi-dangerous’ in conversation, and then often bring in subject and domain expertise when required,” David explains. “I work closely with our Founders and board, our global office leads, and our Australian Executive team, to ensure we are consistent and coordinated in how we go to market, service our clients, and ultimately deliver exceptional outcomes continuously.”
If David were to describe himself in one word, it would be “relentless.” This single word encapsulates his dedication, persistence, and unwavering drive to achieve success and excellence in all aspects of his role.
Achieving Balance with Work, Family, and Motivation
Balancing personal and professional life is always a challenge in a role like David’s. He acknowledges that his position is not a typical 9 to 5 job, as his responsibilities are driven by the demands of clients and future clients. “This often means working late, attending client dinners and events, working and traveling on weekends, and being away from the family during the week,” David explains.
Despite the demanding nature of his career, David’s family has become accustomed to and supportive of his schedule. However, he admits it can be hard on them when he is not around to support them with mid-week sports and after-school activities, help with homework, or cook dinner when his wife needs to relax after a day of teaching. To mitigate this, David makes a conscious effort to lean in and contribute as much as he can when he is at home. “Weekends are precious time with my kids, supporting their activities and running them to and from their friends’ houses,” he shares.
David keeps himself motivated to maintain his high pace and energy levels by dedicating time each day to fitness and health. He works out daily and runs 2 to 3 times per week. “My time for this is early in the morning before the day gets ahead of me,” he says. This routine helps him de-stress, energize, and prepare mentally and physically for the day ahead.
In terms of team motivation, David emphasizes the importance of fostering a supportive and dynamic work environment. He believes in leading by example and encourages his team to adopt similar healthy habits to maintain their energy and enthusiasm. By balancing professional demands with personal well-being, David ensures that both he and his team are equipped to deliver the best services to their clients.
This approach to balancing personal and professional life, along with his commitment to maintaining a high level of motivation and energy, is central to David’s leadership style. It reflects his dedication not only to his role but also to his family and his team, ensuring that he can excel in all aspects of his life.
Navigating Success: Setting Small Goals for Big Wins
David’s approach to personal goals is rooted in the belief that daily setbacks and failures are integral to the journey of success. “I tend not to look too far ahead, as I believe that the failures and setbacks we receive every day are all part of our journey to wherever we may be heading,” he explains. Instead, David focuses on setting small, achievable goals each day and week, emphasizing incremental gains.
“I do set myself small goals each day and week, always focused on incremental or marginal gains. I believe that all these small goals and wins [1%] add up to being more successful than not,” David shares. “My personal mottos are ‘Attack the Day’ and ‘Don’t F*%k it Up,’ which is my way of saying approach every opportunity with everything you have at your disposal and not to have regrets for not trying enough.”
David’s message to aspiring leaders is simple yet profound: lead by example and demonstrate the behaviors and actions that have served him well over his 20-year business career. “This is what I try to message to our aspiring leaders through demonstrating these behaviors and actions, which have served me relatively well over the last 20-odd years in business, and hopefully will serve me well for the next 20!” he remarks.
By embodying these principles, David inspires others to strive for excellence and approach their goals with determination and resilience.
Conclusion
David Gumley’s journey is a testament to the power of perseverance and the importance of setting small, achievable goals to achieve long-term success. His commitment to personal growth, balanced with a focus on motivating and empowering others, exemplifies the qualities of a true leader.
David continues to inspire aspiring leaders to approach each day with vigor and determination. His journey is a beacon of inspiration, reminding us to embrace setbacks as stepping stones for growth and to relentlessly pursue excellence in every aspect of our lives.
