You can't always choose your room, but you can choose your attitude.
David Downs is a business leader, public servant, consultant, board director, speaker and genetically modified organism. David is now CEO of The New Zealand Story, an ambitious government-funded organisation which markets New Zealand to the world.
David was a General Manager at New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) and worked at Microsoft, both in New Zealand and as regional director for South East Asia. David he has set up and run successful businesses of his own, and is chair of the government’s Small Business Advisory Group. A chartered member of the Institute of Directors, David holds a number of board positions, including as the chairman of The Icehouse, the Hi-Tech Trust, and the Well Foundation. He is part of the executive advisory committee to the CEO of DIA. David is a published author on New Zealand Innovation, with highly successful books including ‘No.8 Re-wired’.
In 2018 David was facing a terminal diagnosis and given less than a year to live, but managed to beat cancer in a remarkable series of lucky breaks. After a year of chemotherapy, and staring a terminal diagnosis in the face, David got a literal lifeline, with the chance to get on to a clinical trial in the USA. Now a genetically modified cancer-killing machine, David's reflecting on the lucky series of events that saw him beat cancer, and on his new approach to life.
He's an ex-comedian, TV and Radio actor, semi-finalist for New Zealander of the Year, and a genetically modified optimist who documented his battle with cancer in the book ‘A Mild Touch of the Cancer’, now a documentary film. His charity project Down with Cancer helps raise funds to make the revolutionary CAR T-cell therapy available in New Zealand for those who need it.
At the beginning of the Covid-19 lockdown, David co-founded sosbusiness.nz - a not-for-profit initiative to help bars, cafes and other small businesses sell vouchers. It quickly became a huge hit and to date has sold over $2 million in vouchers for over 2500 small businesses. All the money goes to the businesses. Based on that experience, he published a book about the innovation that happened during covid-19 in New Zealand, 'Silver Linings', published by Penguin Random House.
David studied at Massey University, the University of Auckland and Stanford University, and regularly presents and gives talks on his cancer journey and on the power of positive thinking and optimism.
Talking Points
Personal resilience surviving terminal cancer
David had a public battle with terminal cancer and ultimately won, thanks to luck, science and personal resilience. In this entertaining and touching talk, David shows how personal resilience is built in adversity.
Personal resilience surviving terminal cancer
New Zealand innovation
David is an expert in the history of NZ innovation with 4 books on the topic from NZs earliest innovations, to today. As a trustee of the Hi-Tech Awards, David is well up to date with New Zealand’s innovations and breakthroughs.
New Zealand innovation
Silver Linings - The positive stories and lessons from Covid-19 in NZ
The covid-19 crisis created huge issues for the world, but in New Zealand, it also created some amazing Silver Linings... in this talk, David takes us through some of the great lessons from Covid-19 and shows how adversity creates opportunity.
Silver Linings - The positive stories and lessons from Covid-19 in NZ
MC
David is a popular and engaging MC who believes the main job of the MC is to keep the crowd engaged, entertained, energized and on topic. David has MC’d for the Space Industry, government meetings, industry conferences, investment summits, company retreats and more. He engages the crowd and the speakers to ensure a memorable event. His business and personal experience can help enhance the content, and his personal style ensure speakers and panels are well engaged – and on time!
MC
Bad meetings and how to avoid them
If you work in business, you've had a bad meeting. In this entertaining talk, David gives tips and tricks on how to avoid the worst mistakes, and actually enjoy your meetings!
Bad meetings and how to avoid them
Cancer - a user's guide
No-one wants to get cancer, and often if you do, you know nothing about it. In this entertaining and educational talk, David gives a synopsis of one of our old foes, and how we can beat it...
Cancer - a user's guide
Video
TEDx Tauranga | Don't Humour the Tumour
TEDx Auckland | Reflections of a Genetically Modified Optimist
He was hilarious! So engaging and really gave off such a strong message to the power of positivity. Amazing story, amazing guy. ... keep reading Chartered Accountants ANZ
David was an absolutely fantastic speaker. His story was so inspiring and many of our conference attendees said he was the highlight of the conference for them.
Really enjoyed having David at our Staff Day. He was inspirational and entertaining. He engaged with everyone in the room.
Loved his pithy quotes, his ability to engage and get a few laughs. People were talking about his session for the rest of the day.
Very engaging and great story teller, delivered at the right level for the audience.
Thought he did well, appreciated his honesty and the personalized twist, as well as understanding the nature of our team and throwing in the awesome T-cell display at the end. Just what our team needed to start thinking about mindset!
David was brilliant to work with!! All our guests commented on his speech being the highlight
David is an extremely engaging speaker. He offered insight into his own personal experience, the practical and emotional skills he used while he and his family were going through this time and offered hope and a process as to how he managed to live his life to be able to stand in front of us today. David is an amazing man with an inspiring story.
