Alumni Profile: John Davison of Bridgepoint

John Davison

Today: Based in London, John is a Director of the mid-market private equity firm, Bridgepoint. Before joining Booz Allen, John graduated with a degree in natural sciences from Girton College, Cambridge, and earned an MBA from Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration. John also worked as a consultant at Warburg Pincus and a director at Carlyle Group where he specialized in media and telecommunications. He also represented Great Britain in clay shooting at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.

What, in a nutshell, did you learn at Booz Allen? I learned a lot, from how to present analysis and conclusions in verbal and written form to conducting effective research and really understanding the competitive dynamics of a particular industry. And I learned some things that continue to pay off today, from interviewing skills to the importance of working as a member of a team.

Do you feel that Booz Allen served as a foundation to your current position? Absolutely. Booz Allen gave me a great foundation for my career. I feel that joining the firm after University was the right decision for me—and really contributed to my current base of knowledge and experience.

Would you recommend working at Booz Allen? Yes. I really enjoyed my time there. I worked on some fascinating projects with some great people both from Booz Allen and our clients.

What's your favorite Booz Allen moment or experience? The friendships I formed with colleagues stand out. At the same time, I have to admit that my most amusing memory was being prevented from participating in clay shooting at the Booz Allen summer party at Pennyhill Park, London, on the grounds that my shooting technique was incorrect!

I'm new to Booz Allen. Any advice for me? Try to find projects that give you the opportunity to look at new situations and address new questions. Be sure to learn as much as you can from those around you. And stretch yourself in what is a supportive, learning environment.

It all goes back to the importance of enjoying your work life and always trying to land in an environment where you will be able to work with high-quality individuals from whom you can continually learn.

profile posted December 2003