David Lahey

I’m David Lahey, Chief Growth Officer at AskElie. My career has taken me across three continents, helping SaaS companies grow, scale, and succeed. Along the way, I’ve been part of six successful exits and built a reputation for combining strategy, execution, and customer focus to deliver results that last.

My Career Journey

I started as founder and CEO of Lahey Software, where I built six ERP modules that were later acquired by ACCPAC, a Computer Associates business unit. Sage (London:SGE) soon acquired ACCPAC and I helped integrate ACCPAC into Sage. That experience taught me how to balance innovation with operational discipline and gave me the foundations to help other businesses scale.

Since then, I’ve worked across operations, sales, marketing, and customer success. That end-to-end perspective helps me understand what a business really needs to grow sustainably. Some highlights by my teams include:

• Achieving 113% Net Revenue Retention

• Raising Net Promoter Score by 88 points in 18 months

• Delivering close to 90% B2B Gross Revenue Retention

• Supporting multiple SaaS companies through growth and successful exits

Where I Focus Today

Much of my work now is around AI transformation. At AskElie, I’m focused on showing how advanced AI can deliver real business outcomes – from automating documents to streamlining compliance and decision-making – while keeping people and customers at the center.

How I Work with Teams

I like helping leadership teams cut through complexity and align on a clear path forward. My approach is hands-on but always tied to long-term strategy. I believe sustainable growth comes from:

• Matching technology investments with business outcomes

• Building customer trust through delivery

• Creating strong cultures that thrive in times of change

• Balancing short-term wins with long-term vision

What Drives Me

I’ve shared my journey at industry conferences and in advisory roles, speaking on topics like scaling SaaS, M&A strategy, and the role of AI in enterprise automation. For me, growth should never be just about numbers. It’s about building businesses that last, with customers and people at the heart of it all.

My Role at AskElie

I’m here to make sure we grow stronger every day by expanding our reach in AI and automation while staying focused on customer outcomes. Growth only matters if it makes things better for the teams and organisations we work with, and that’s what drives me.