At Adaptovate, the work begins where many transformation efforts start to falter. Organizations may have a strategy, executive support, and a clear list of priorities, yet still struggle to translate that intent into measurable outcomes. The firm hones in on the gap between ambition and delivery, working with leadership teams on operating models, governance, and ways of working that can support change over time rather than only at kickoff.

David Gumley, Managing Director and Partner at the firm, brings experience across professional services, financial services, and international markets. In the following interview, he discusses how Adaptovate approaches enterprise transformation, what differentiates its model, and why disciplined AI adoption depends as much on organizational readiness as it does on the technology itself.

The Consulting Report: Can you provide an overview of your firm's areas of specialization, whether based on sectors or functional areas?

David Gumley: At Adaptovate, our core specialization is helping organizations bridge the gap between strategy and execution. Many companies have strong strategic ambitions, but the real challenge is mobilizing the organization to deliver those ambitions consistently and at scale. Our work focuses on designing the operating models, governance structures, and leadership alignment required to translate strategy into measurable outcomes, and increasingly, on helping organizations harness AI as a core part of how work gets done.

“The consulting market today is not short on strategy or high-level recommendations.”

From a sector perspective, we work extensively across financial services, retail, government, infrastructure, and technology-enabled organizations. These industries are all facing similar pressures, rapid technological change, evolving customer expectations, and increasing complexity in how work gets done. Our role is to help leadership teams navigate that complexity and create the conditions for sustained performance.

Functionally, our expertise sits at the intersection of enterprise transformation, operating model design, agile ways of working, strategy execution, and the disciplined adoption of AI and advanced technologies. What makes our approach distinctive is that we focus not only on designing change, but on embedding the capabilities required to sustain it. Ultimately, our goal is to help organizations become more adaptive, resilient, and capable of delivering value over the long term.

The Consulting Report: How does your firm differentiate itself from competitors?

David Gumley: The consulting market today is not short on strategy or high-level recommendations. Where organizations consistently struggle is turning those ideas into tangible outcomes, and that gap between intent and delivery is exactly where Adaptovate operates.

Our approach is highly pragmatic. Rather than producing lengthy reports or theoretical frameworks, we work alongside leadership teams, drawing on global expertise while remaining close to the local context, to prioritize the initiatives that will create the greatest impact and then help mobilize the organization to deliver them. This often involves redesigning operating models, establishing clear governance and decision-making structures, and embedding new ways of working that allow teams to move faster and with greater clarity.

“The measure of our work is simple—did it deliver?”

Another key differentiator is our commitment to capability transfer. From the beginning of an engagement, we focus on building the internal strategy, technology, and people capabilities that enable organizations to sustain transformation long after our work concludes, with people remaining at the center, even as AI becomes an increasingly critical part of how that transformation happens. We see our role as partners rather than external advisors, and we measure our success accordingly.

The measure of our work is simple—did it deliver? We are not in the business of recommendations. We are in the business of results—whether that is improved speed to market, stronger organizational alignment, or more effective delivery of strategic priorities.

The Consulting Report: Are there one or two major client projects that you are particularly proud of and that help demonstrate your firm's capabilities?

David Gumley: One of the most rewarding aspects of consulting is seeing the real-world impact that transformation can have, not just on organizational performance, but on the people those organizations ultimately serve. 

For example, we have been working with a global energy company to accelerate and modernize how it manages its asset retirement and decommissioning agenda. This is a complex challenge facing the energy sector as companies transition legacy infrastructure responsibly and cost-effectively. By helping redesign the operating model, improve prioritization, and embed more adaptive delivery approaches, we have supported the organization in identifying and delivering more than $500 million in savings to date, while also enabling a more sustainable and scalable approach to managing these programs globally.

In a very different context, we are supporting a transport authority in the Pacific Islands to digitize its operations and modernize how services are delivered to citizens. The impact has been profound. Digitization is reducing the need for people to spend hours queuing at physical branches, improving road safety through better regulatory oversight, and creating a more efficient experience for both customers and transport authority staff.

Seeing how these changes improve everyday life for communities is incredibly rewarding and a reminder of why this work matters.

The Consulting Report: How would you describe your firm's culture?

David Gumley: Culture is one of the defining characteristics of Adaptovate and it is something we've worked intentionally to build, not just describe. We want our people to feel both empowered and accountable for the outcomes they help deliver.

At its core, our culture is built around curiosity, collaboration, and ownership. We encourage people to ask questions, challenge assumptions, and approach complex problems with an open mind, all behaviors that are essential in consulting and that we actively foster.

We also invest in our people's growth in ways that are personal to them. That means tools to understand their own strengths, external learning they choose for themselves, and a structured development program that grows with their career. We want people to develop here, not just perform here.

That same collaborative spirit extends to how we work with clients. Our consultants work alongside client teams rather than at a distance, and as a global firm we work hard to make that feel like an asset—through shared experiences, cross-office connection, and genuine flexibility in how people work.

Ultimately, when people feel supported, trusted, and invested in, they do their best work, for each other and for our clients.

The Consulting Report: Has the increasing prevalence of AI changed the types of client mandates you are hired for?

David Gumley: The rise of AI has certainly changed the nature of the conversations we are having with clients. Almost every organization today is exploring how AI can improve productivity, decision-making, and customer experience.

Interestingly, the technology itself is often not the most challenging part. The real questions tend to revolve around governance, prioritization, data readiness, and how AI fits into the broader operating model of the organization. Many companies are experimenting with AI tools, but relatively few have integrated them yet into the core of how work gets done.

Our role increasingly involves helping leadership teams move from experimentation to disciplined adoption. That means identifying the use cases that can deliver meaningful business value, ensuring that the necessary data and technology foundations are in place, and embedding AI into existing workflows rather than treating it as a standalone initiative.

The organizations that will benefit most are those that approach AI thoughtfully, align it with clear strategic outcomes, and invest in the capabilities required to use it responsibly and effectively.

“Clarity creates momentum.”

The Consulting Report: Is there a book, mentor, or mantra that has influenced how you lead your organization?

David Gumley: One leadership influence that has stayed with me comes, perhaps not surprisingly, from sport. I've long admired Sir Alex Ferguson's leadership at Manchester United—not just for the success, but for his ability to continually rebuild and sustain high performance over decades. He understood that leadership isn't about tactics alone. It's about setting standards, building trust, and creating a culture where people want to perform for each other. That idea of constant evolution alongside consistent standards has always resonated with me.

In my own leadership, I try to focus on creating clarity and alignment. In complex organizations, teams can quickly become overwhelmed by competing priorities and constant change, and a leader's job is to cut through that noise. A mantra I come back to often is "clarity creates momentum." When people understand what matters most and feel trusted to deliver, better decisions get made and the organization moves faster.

The best leaders I've worked with are also defined by humility and curiosity, remaining open to new ideas and recognizing that good insights can come from anywhere. Leadership is less about having all the answers and more about creating the environment in which others can do their best work together.