Solon Management Consulting appoints Gavin Patterson

Gavin Patterson has been installed as a Senior Advisor by Solon Management Consulting. Patterson’s presence beefs up the firm’s expertise in the telecoms and media space, having been CEO of BT for six years.

Having spent the best part of two decades as a business leader in a variety of sectors, Gavin Patterson has found himself in keen demand, following his exit from long-time employer BT. Since September, Patterson has taken positions as a Senior Advisor with McKinsey & Company, part-time Chair of Salesforce for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and the new Chair of fast-growing consultancy Elixirr. He also maintains Non-Executive Directorships with British Airways and Fractal Analytics, as well as being a Trustee to the British Museum.

On top of this, Patterson has been tapped for his expertise by Solon Management Consulting. The company’s telecoms and media team have performed strongly in recent years, both in terms of revenue and plaudits. For example, having won last year, Solon successfully defended its title as “TMT Commercial Due Diligence Provider of the Year” at the TMT M&A Awards 2019. As a Senior Advisor, Patterson’s TMT industry expertise will help the firm build on this momentum.

“Gavin is a highly respected leader and visionary in the TMT industry,” said Frederic Huet, Partner at Solon. “His extensive experience in the telecom and media space makes him a powerful addition to our team. We are extremely happy to have Gavin join us at a moment when we are experiencing a strong growth and are opening new European offices.”

He commenced his career with FMCG firm Proctor & Gamble in 1993, before spending four years with Telewest Communications (now Virgin Media). He then joined BT in 2004, initially as Group Managing Director in the telecom giant’s Consumer wing. By 2013, Patterson had risen to the rank of Chief Executive Officer, a role he would hold alongside the Presidency of the Advertising Association between 2011 and 2014.

Commenting on his new role, Patterson said, “I am delighted to work with Solon and provide my expertise in the telecom and media sectors. From a strategic and operational perspective, by helping clients understand regulations, infrastructure and operational improvements for the digital era, I would like to make sure they are ready for the future changes that will happen in the industry.”