David Poole

David brings three decades at the leading edge of business transformation, automation and technology-enabled services, and a conviction that AI-native mid-market companies can reshape their operating models faster than legacy incumbents. His focus spans the infrastructure, products and services that lower the cost of healthcare and businesses positioned to benefit as the intelligence premium unwinds. At the firm he works alongside founders and management teams, pairing deep operational experience with capital to accelerate growth.

Before private equity, David spent his career founding and scaling companies, leading multinational service lines and guiding enterprises through successive waves of technological change — from the emergence of business process outsourcing to today's generative and agentic AI.

He co-founded and served as CEO of Symphony Ventures, a transformation consultancy that pioneered the use of robotic process automation, artificial intelligence and next-generation delivery models to reinvent how organisations work. Under his leadership Symphony grew into an internationally recognised firm before its successful exit to Sykes Enterprises in 2018. He went on to found Emergence Partners — later rebranded Cognition — assembling an experienced team to drive enterprise transformation, and led the group as Executive Chairman through its merger with Symphony LAM and S-Labs.

Alongside these ventures he has held a range of board and investment roles, including Partner at Stanley Capital, Chairman of AI Technology Futures — where he leads work combining Edge AI, IoT and communications technology for environmental impact — and Non-Executive Director at Qinecsa Solutions.

Earlier in his career he built and led major service businesses at scale. As Chief Client Officer at Sutherland Global Services he launched Sutherland Labs and drove global growth; as CEO of Serco's UK and European Global Services division he oversaw more than $1bn in booked sales. During eight years at Capgemini he served as CEO of Americas BPO and Head of Global BPO Strategy, and he spent a decade at PwC designing and delivering landmark outsourcing engagements. He was promoted to Partner in 2000.

In 2024 David embarked on a sabbatical to sail around the world with his wife and young son, returning in 2026. A qualified coastal skipper and diving instructor, he holds an MBA from Imperial College London and recently completed Imperial College Business School's programme on AI for Business Transformation.