David Savage,
Leadership Coach & Trainer
“An addictive and sumptuous mind explosion,
‘Sav’ is a master at helping people to realise and reach their potential”
David Savage
David Savage helps leaders understand the influence they carry and use it to create outcomes that are positive for people, organisations, and communities. His work blends neuroscience, communication, and human behaviour, giving leaders practical tools to navigate complexity, build trust, and lead with intention.
For more than 20 years, David has supported over eighty organisations across New Zealand and internationally, from small businesses to large multi‑agency Alliances, including the $2.4bn post‑earthquake Stronger Christchurch Infrastructure Rebuild Team.
Leadership Shaped by Real-World Experience
Before becoming a coach and facilitator, David travelled as a photographer in some of the world’s most challenging environments — the townships of South Africa, the slums of Bangkok, the Australian outback, and riots in London. Seeing the many faces of leadership, these experiences shaped his understanding of resilience, human potential, and the impact leadership has in moments of adversity. They continue to influence his grounded, empathetic approach to leadership development.
A science based approach
David trained with the internationally recognised NeuroLeadership Group, bringing a neuroscience‑based lens to communication and behaviour. Many leadership programmes fail because they overlook how the brain actually works. David’s approach goes even deeper with Neurolinguistics, helping leaders understand language and the brain so they can create change that lasts.
Sector Experience
- Government and public sector
- NGOs and not‑for‑profits
- Infrastructure and engineering
- Education
- Small and medium‑sized businesses
- Information Technology
- Executive Teams
David has a long‑standing commitment to supporting NGOs, including WWF NZ, Kaibosh, The Red Cross, Forest & Bird, The Sustainability Business Network and Predator Free New Zealand.
Speaking at Conferences
- Social Enterprise World Conference, Christchurch
- Kindergarten Association, Auckland, Wellington, Napier
- Aotearoa Food Rescue, Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch
- Sustainable Business Network, National Conference
- New Zealand Disability Network, Wellington
- Coachmecca, Queenstown
- CoachFest, Sydney Australia
David has spoken at numerous conferences on leadership and the brain delivering keynotes or workshop style addresses.
Personal Challenge
David believes challenge is a powerful teacher. For him, that challenge comes through long‑distance bikepacking, completing some of Aotearoa’s most demanding routes, including the Tour Aotearoa (3,000km in 31 days), the Sounds to Sounds (1,600km in 16 days), and the Kopek (1,000km in 10 days). These journeys reinforce the same principles he teaches: stretch creates growth, resilience builds confidence, and challenge reveals what truly matters.
Ready to work with Sav?
If you’re ready for coaching and training — let’s talk.