Cancer, Comedy, and the Grit to Weave People Together | David Downs

Recorded in New Zealand during the IoD Leadership Conference 2026 in Wellington, this episode continues Grit in the Boardroom's international run of executive interviews with another extraordinary leader.

In this candid conversation, Erika Eliasson-Norris sits down with David Downs: CEO of Education New Zealand, former stand-up comedian, cancer survivor, and self-described "genetically modified optimist," for a masterclass in leadership, emotional intelligence, and C-suite insights on what it takes to connect with people when the stakes are highest.

David's career spans the comedy circuit, Microsoft, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, the New Zealand Story Group, and medical innovation at the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, a path that's given him a rare leader’s-eye view of strategic decision-making and high-stakes strategy across very different sectors.

Together they explore boardroom decisions, leadership decisions, and corporate governance under pressure: why corporate storytelling, not spreadsheets, remains the most powerful leadership tool; how reading an audience translates from comedy clubs to boardroom dynamics; why vulnerability and a strong feedback culture are what separate good boards from great ones on the path to board effectiveness; and why moving beyond traditional risk management, treating risk as a portfolio rather than a threat, is what boards overseeing innovation need to embrace. Told he had six months to live, David shares governance lessons on business resilience and growth under pressure, including his "memory foam pillow" model, and why Viktor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning changed his perspective on purpose-driven leadership. He also warns that organizational culture can absorb new people before they've had a chance to speak up and argues a leader's job is never to be the smartest person in the room but to create the conditions for everyone else to do their best work, echoing the Māori concept of Rangatira, to weave people together.

Expect management case studies and turnaround stories delivered with the wit of a man who once got slow-clapped off stage at a plumbers' conference and lived to tell the tale.

What you'll find in this episode:

· Why stand-up comedy is the ultimate masterclass in reading an audience and leading people

· "How the 'five dumb questions' rule builds psychological safety, feedback culture, and better board effectiveness"

· What a terminal cancer diagnosis taught David about resilience, risk, and perspective

· Why the Māori concept of rangatira redefines what it means to lead

· How boards overseeing innovation should think about risk as a portfolio, not a threat

· Why purpose, not happiness, is the fuel that sustains leaders through the hardest decisions

· What new employees and brand-new cars have in common (hint: don't leave either in the garage)

· Why company culture absorbs people, and how leaders can push back on that

About the guest David Downs is the Chief Executive of Education New Zealand | Manapou ki te Ao, the government agency connecting New Zealand with learners, educators, and future leaders worldwide. A former stand-up comedian and TV performer, he built a career across Microsoft in New Zealand and Asia Pacific, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, and the New Zealand Story Group, where he served as CEO for five years. He is an Ambassador and Fundraiser for the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, Chairman of the Well Foundation, and a Board Member of Blood Cancer NZ. A cancer survivor once given six months to live, David is a passionate advocate for medical innovation, purpose-driven leadership, and the power of storytelling.

About Grit in the Boardroom Grit in the Boardroom is a bi-weekly podcast where Erika Eliasson-Norris sits down with the best in business for executive interviews. She and her guests explore corporate governance beyond the sealed doors of the C-suite.

About Erika Eliasson-Norris As Governance Assessor for the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry, the largest public inquiry in UK history, Erika Eliasson-Norris is helping shape accountability, governance reform, and corporate oversight across the UK.