Dawson, who has held board positions at EHS, Wunderman and Digitas Europe, has been made director of communications planning, and will be responsible for ensuring Equi=Media's clients receive digital and planning support from the agency.
During his career Dawson has worked on communications accounts for Mercedes and Volvo, and was instrumental in the integrated communications planning for The New York Times roll-out in the US.
Andrew Burgess, managing director of Equi=Media, said: "Insight is at the heart of all our client's digital and offline media strategies and it is therefore imperative to have great people in place that can promote this ethos internally and with our clients."
The agency, which formed in August 2000, has a client list that includes Halifax, Equifax and Western Provident Association.