[1][2] Dawson was born in Auckland and grew up in Blockhouse Bay and later North Shore.
On returning to Auckland she completed her bachelor of commerce degree and worked at Price Waterhouse before moving to London.
[2] In New Zealand, Dawson has held a number of governance positions including chair and chief executive for KPMG New Zealand for five years until 2011, and board positions for Beca and Goodman Fielder.
[1][3] Dawson has had an interest in sailing since she was a child and co-owns a match racer; in 2007 she was the skipper of a team who won the Zenza Women's National Keelboat Championships.
[5] In 2016 Dawson was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to governance.