David Mackenzie Cawood

David McKenzie Cawood was born on the 11 April 1944 in the town of Vryheid, Natal in South Africa. He was the second son of Doris McKenzie Cawood and Basil Yorke Cawood, younger brother to John McKenzie Cawood.

David attended Maritzburg College and later the (then) University of Natal, where he graduated with an arts degree. He played the drums in a band, a hobby which he continued for most of his life. His favourite birthday treat was to play the drums for his guests.

He married Ann Du Plooy and had two children, Nina (1966) and Justin (1969).

He taught for a short time and then got a job as a news reporter. This took him to (the then) Rhodesia where he worked for the Herald newspaper. It was here that his management potential was spotted, and he was supported to do one of the first MBAs in South Africa at the University of the Witwatersrand. He was awarded the gold medal.

He spent some time with Touche Ross, which brought him to Vancouver, while he completed his PhD, and he went on to build an international consulting company, described as the most consistently successful strategic consultancy on the West Coast.

His consultancy continued until recently, when he published his book “The Secret Sabbatical”, based on his mentoring work with students at UBC and other executive clients.

He was always very creative, and in later life took art lessons quite seriously.

He was an uncle to Andrew, Stephen and Beth Cawood as well as a grandfather to Samuel, Jami, Jemma, Hope, Gracie and Savannah, and a great-grandfather to Henry. He lived happily on his creek in West Vancouver until his brief illness in November of 2021. His understated intelligence, his warmth, humour and wit, will be greatly missed by family and friends.

David's Celebration of Life may be viewed on the following link.

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