John Paterson

John Paterson is the Founder and CEO of Quadshift, where he acquires and scales niche vertical-market software companies. His mandate is simple: buy well, operate well, and build leaders. John prioritizes complementary add-ons to the existing portfolio, selective entry into new verticals, and the development of shared capabilities that help operating companies win for the long term.

Before Quadshift, John served as CEO of Shift Marketing, a business he acquired with partners Danny Ardellini, Paul Coffey, and Dave Gurney in 2017. That acquisition became the seed for Quadshift. Earlier in his career, he led the construction, operation, and sale of a turnaround hotel and restaurant in downtown Toronto. He also analyzed and underwrote more than $400 million in private debt and private equity fund investments at Sun Life’s Private Fixed Income Group. John graduated with Distinction from the Ivey Business School, is a CFA charterholder, and earned a web development certificate from General Assembly.