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David Southwell

๐Ÿ‘ค Speaker
275 total appearances

Appearances Over Time

Podcast Appearances

BioBoss
David Southwell: CEO of Volastra Therapeutics

And I think it would be the height of arrogance for me to tell you what other people think of me.

BioBoss
David Southwell: CEO of Volastra Therapeutics

But what I try to do is to be highly collaborative.

BioBoss
David Southwell: CEO of Volastra Therapeutics

I like to

BioBoss
David Southwell: CEO of Volastra Therapeutics

hire the best people, work with the best people and listen to them and really talk through major decisions with everybody.

BioBoss
David Southwell: CEO of Volastra Therapeutics

And oftentimes the people that work for you, or even they're on your board, would have a different approach than you want to have.

BioBoss
David Southwell: CEO of Volastra Therapeutics

And often they have opposing approaches.

BioBoss
David Southwell: CEO of Volastra Therapeutics

So it becomes a zero sum game.

BioBoss
David Southwell: CEO of Volastra Therapeutics

And the challenge at that point is to say, look, I can't do what

BioBoss
David Southwell: CEO of Volastra Therapeutics

both of you want, or I can't do what all of you want, I have to make a decision.

BioBoss
David Southwell: CEO of Volastra Therapeutics

And this is what I'm deciding to do.

BioBoss
David Southwell: CEO of Volastra Therapeutics

And it's not personal.

BioBoss
David Southwell: CEO of Volastra Therapeutics

It's not that I'm not doing this because I don't like the person whose advice I'm not taking.

BioBoss
David Southwell: CEO of Volastra Therapeutics

It's just that at this particular point, I think that I need to take this other person's advice.

BioBoss
David Southwell: CEO of Volastra Therapeutics

So it's a bit of a challenge to say no to somebody, but keep them really

BioBoss
David Southwell: CEO of Volastra Therapeutics

devoted to the cause.

BioBoss
David Southwell: CEO of Volastra Therapeutics

And we're very mission focused.

BioBoss
David Southwell: CEO of Volastra Therapeutics

When there's a situation that isn't working out with someone, I always feel as though I'm sending them to a better place by moving them out of the organization that I'm in.

BioBoss
David Southwell: CEO of Volastra Therapeutics

And I genuinely feel that way.

BioBoss
David Southwell: CEO of Volastra Therapeutics

And I say that to them.

BioBoss
David Southwell: CEO of Volastra Therapeutics

And there are many people that I've let go that I'm now very good friends with.