Dominic Rose: From Strategy to Ownership

1Be Open to Sideways or Downward Moves

Breaking out of strategy often means taking a role that looks like a step back. When Dominic left Bain, he joined NetJets as a sales analyst. The title was smaller, the salary lower, but the opportunity bigger.

NetJets was in financial difficulty after the 2008 crisis, which created urgency and room for change. "That's where you can make real impact," Dominic said. Within a year, his reputation had shifted from "the ex-consultant" to "someone who gets things done." That credibility became the foundation for the rest of his career.

2Prove by Doing, Not Just Thinking

In consulting, your value lies in finding the answer. In business, it lies in making it happen. Dominic learned this quickly. "You move from 90 percent thinking and 10 percent doing to the complete reverse," he said.

At NetJets, a new pricing model he created could not be implemented because the system could not handle decimal points. "That tiny issue taught me everything about execution. The strategy was sound, but it was useless unless we could actually make it work."

He also learned that influence comes from understanding others. "You have to convince people, not just be right. It's about helping them see why something matters, not just telling them that it does."

3Build Empathy and Trust

Dominic admits that ex-consultants often struggle early on. "In consulting, you're paid to be smart. Inside a company, that approach backfires fast."

He credits empathy as the most important skill he developed. "You build trust by being helpful and humble. Instead of saying, 'Here's what you should do,' I started asking, 'How can I help?' That small shift changes everything."

As his roles grew, empathy also became central to leadership. "You go from managing consultants who work until 1am without question, to managing people with completely different motivations. You have to understand what drives them and meet them there."

4Accept "Good Enough"

Perfectionism serves you well in consulting, but it can slow everything down in a commercial role. "Consultants are trained to overthink," Dominic said. "In business, if you apply that to everything, you become the bottleneck."

He learned to distinguish between what needs to be perfect and what can simply be fine. "The best leaders develop an instinct for what truly matters. Focus your energy there and accept that not everything needs to be world-class."

He recalls a story from a fellow ex-consultant turned CEO. "She spent days evaluating insurance options, built a spreadsheet, and presented it to the board. They told her, 'We have bigger problems.' That lesson stuck with me."

5Seek Sponsors, not Just Mentors

Mentors give advice. Sponsors open doors. "In every business I've worked in, one or two senior people have backed me. They understood my strengths and were willing to give me real opportunities," Dominic said.

At ASOS, that sponsorship turned into leadership responsibility. Joining as Head of Strategy, he was soon asked to take over ASOS Marketplace, a small but underperforming division. "That became my first real P&L. It taught me how to run a team, make decisions, and deliver results."

That experience helped shift perceptions of him from strategist to operator – and opened the door to his later executive roles.

6Lead Simply and Let Go

At Depop, Dominic's leadership principles came into focus. The business was growing fast, and complexity was the enemy. "Focus, simplicity, and agility became my north stars," he said.

He believes that clarity and empowerment drive speed. "If you push decisions down the organisation, you'll move faster. You just have to accept that people will make mistakes. But if you try to control everything, you'll halve your impact."

7Know Yourself Before Chasing Titles

Dominic is honest about the realities of P&L leadership. "Eighty percent of your time is firefighting. The big strategic moments are maybe twenty percent," he said. "It's rewarding but relentless."

He shared a story from his time as COO at Depop. "On my first day taking over facilities, the ceiling collapsed. Five minutes later I was buying mops."

His advice: be clear about what energises you. "If you love solving new problems, you might be happier in strategy. There's nothing wrong with that. Don't chase titles for the sake of it."