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Leadership in Practice
William F. Dawson Jr. (MBA 1991)
After three decades working with executives in scores of private
and public companies, Wellspring Capital Management CEO
William F. Dawson Jr. (MBA 1991) is convinced that “the most successful
business leaders rely at least as much on emotional intelligence
as IQ.” His 25th Reunion gift to establish the William F.
Dawson Jr. MBA Program Innovation Fund and his support for the
HBS Fund for Leadership and Innovation reflect his interest in
helping MBA students develop the habits of mind of successful
leaders through hands-on experience.
“Leadership is difficult to teach,” says Dawson. “To Dean Nitin
Nohria’s credit, HBS’s approach is evolving in a very creative
way. Business leaders need to inspire trust, they have to be able
to read people, and they need to know how to motivate others to
do their best. The School’s introduction of the field method,
experiential learning, immersion experiences, and team-based
entrepreneurial projects are all on the right track.”
Dawson grew up in Brooklyn, New York, and was the first in his
family to attend college. He majored in business and finance,
and was working as a successful analyst at Donaldson, Lufkin &
Jenrette (DLJ) when he applied to HBS. “I already had the
analytical skills,” he recalls, “but the rigors of the case method
raised the bar for me.” Dawson greatly admired his HBS corporate
finance professor, the late Scott Mason, whom he credits
with “teaching me how to apply theory to practical challenges.”
After 14 years at DLJ, Dawson moved to Wellspring in 2001
and was named CEO in 2014. He has led or cosponsored many of
the firm’s most successful investments in distribution, consumer
and business services, and industrial companies. “Like many of
my classmates, I had a fantastic experience at HBS that definitely
contributed to what I’ve achieved,” Dawson notes. “I’m
happy to be able to give back by supporting innovations that are
keeping HBS at the forefront of leadership education.”
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