THE FLIGHT PATH OF PURPOSE: THE EXTRAORDINARY RISE OF DAVID OWUSU-GYEBI
From Ghana’s tarmacs to global boardrooms, an aircraft engineer redefines leadership and legacy
By Chinelo Eze
Chinelo Eze is at once: a poet, a writer, and a researcher. Armed with a Master’s degree in literature at the University of Lagos, she works as a freelance writer contributor.
On the baked tarmac of Kotoka International Airport in Accra, a young engineer once crouched beneath a Dash 8 aircraft, hands blackened with grease, heart brimming with resolve. Today, that same engineer, David Kwaku Owusu-Gyebi, sharp suited and steady-eyed, walks the polished corridors of global consulting, helping Fortune 500 clients solve multimillion dollar problems. The arc between those two worlds is not merely career progression, it is an odyssey of grit, vision, and a quiet devotion to service.
“I’ve always believed that every challenge is an opportunity to make your story richer,” David says, pausing briefly, his voice warm and composed, “not just for yourself, but for the people coming after you.”
FROM WRENCHES TO WISDOM
Born and raised in Accra, Ghana, David trained as an Aerospace Engineer at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). But even then, his trajectory was never confined to aircrafts. As a student, he was part of the leadership of a sustainability startup that pioneered the digitization of campus advertising —an initiative that slashed paper waste and earned the attention of leading Ghanaian brands.
By the time he graduated, he had already served as Vice-President of the Campus Christian Family, growing its membership, engagement, and gaining a reputation as both a systems thinker and a community builder.
What followed was a rigorous apprenticeship in aviation: from national service with the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority to maintenance work at Africa World Airlines. But it was at PassionAir, Ghana’s then-nascent commercial airline, that his impact began to truly take flight.
As an Aircraft Engineer, David led multinational teams in the repair and maintenance of the company’s fleet of aircraft . He overhauled processes, improved flight reliability, and introduced predictive maintenance techniques that reduced logistical costs. One of his proudest moments came when he led a project to carry out the first major out-of-base aircraft repair, liaising with teams across Ghana, Canada, and Europe. He also doubled as a Quality Assurance officer, carrying out audits and ensuring regulatory compliance of both internal and external clients and customers.
But his legacy at PassionAir was not built merely on technical excellence. Under his mentorship, he helped about eight technicians earn their Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Licenses—quadrupling their earning potential and setting them up for career advancement.
“I don’t believe in rising alone,” he says. “Helping others rise is part of the job.”
THE ENGINEER WHO LEADS WITH HEART
There is an unwavering through-line in David’s journey: leadership rooted in service. Whether launching rural healthcare outreach for 500 underserved Ghanaians, raising thousands to educate orphans and support animal welfare, or authoring a soon-to-be-published book titled Don’t Give Up, he has long understood success not as an individual pursuit but a communal offering.
When he stepped away from aircraft engineering to pursue an MBA at Duke University Fuqua School of Business, those who knew him were not surprised, due to his ambition and continuous drive for self-development. What was striking, though, was how quickly he became a cornerstone of the Fuqua community.
Within two years, David was named winner of the Asa T. Spaulding Sr. Award, the school’s highest honor for leadership, and the Paired Principles Award for Supportive Ambition, showing his continued dedication to supporting others rise and thrive. He served as Co-President of the Business in Africa Club, an Admissions Fellow and a Co-ordinator for the Career Fellow program of the Business school.
He also contributed through academic excellence and served as a Teaching Assistant for multiple classes, and hosted more than 150 case coaching sessions, helping peers across the United States land offers in top consulting and tech firms.
“He’s the rare kind of leader who gives more than he takes,” a classmate wrote in his nomination. “David built ladders for others, even while climbing his own.”
REINVENTING THE PLAYBOOK
At Fuqua, David took his first steps into the world of consulting. Together with his team, he developed strategies that helped a client boost sales by 50% through the Fuqua Client Consulting Practicum. David now ventures into the world of consulting full-time, bringing with him the same mindset that once kept planes in the sky: diagnose, adapt, and fix—with precision and purpose.
But ask him where he’s headed, “It has never been about titles or destinations,” he says. “It’s about impact.”
And in that word—impact—is the core of his philosophy. Whether assembling teams in a Ghanaian hangar or strategizing in a New York boardroom, David’s accomplishment is bigger than a career. He has charted a new kind of flight path: one that bridges continents, sectors, and generations. A flight path lit not just by ambition—but by the belief that one life, well-lived, can help many others take off.
“I’d rather try and fail,” he says, “than sit back and wonder, ‘What if?’”
