DAVID KOCHAROV: THE BEAUTY OF SHARING
Some travel in search of silence. Some travel in search of noise.
Anyone who met David quickly learned that one can be confident and humble at the same time — a true ‘intelligent’ (ինտելիգենտ as you would call him in Armenian), a man of nobility and learning.
“I remember on my last trip to Yerevan he was in his element hosting a delegation from one of our projects in Iraq. We took them out for dinner, and he was such a natural host who could talk with anyone and make them feel at ease. He was self-effacing and engaged, so it always made people feel special.”
“In his 37 years, David did a lot. We don’t know if 37 is a lot or little but he showed one can do a lot of things in that short period of time. We are proud that he was the one who represented Synergy and his home country, Armenia in the world.”
The master of words.
‘Think like a chess master’ was David’s advice when it came to business communication.
“David knew how to write an email. Day by day, I noticed the skillful ways he used written communication to build and maintain relationships with clients. I thought to myself ‘wow, he knows his business’. He had the virtue of improving and refining whatever he was doing.”
A role model communicator for everyone. “He would always keep relationships and follow up timely. I would bring his emails as examples. Every word was weighed — concise but comprehensive writing.”
There was much self-awareness and self-regulation at the bargaining table. David knew how to make his emotions work for him in negotiations. “Be it an email or a meeting, never let your emotions run hot — this is what he taught me. I would often ask him to review the emails I wrote. He would first point out the good parts and then revise the email text completely and make it well-thought and well-written. With a few simple sentences, David would communicate confidence and humility at the same time.”
He spoke quietly but very convincingly. “People saw that he believed in whatever he said. He conveyed his message in such a way that they would trust him, the company, and the country.”
Inspire, don’t manage.
Even though David didn’t like managing teams, he was never a team of one. “He would work with each of us face-to-face, making comments so positively that we could not get offended.”
People like David encourage us to contribute to something greater than ourselves. It’s just that simple. “Without making much noise, he leveled up everything he got engaged in.”
“David never judged me whatever I did, even when my startup failed. That gave me more self-confidence in trying new things and being where I am today.”
Driven by relationships.
“I think he was really driven by relationships. He could connect with the clients when he traveled, and they’d always want to continue working with him. If we had a trip planned, they’d ask us to send him.”
How many people do you know who would prepare guidelines and instructions for their colleagues who were travelling? “Once I didn’t manage to talk to him before a trip. When I arrived at the destination, I received an email with a list of attractions and restaurants with detailed descriptions and tips.”
David was a man who loved connecting with people and sharing knowledge. It made him feel good.
“Although we didn’t travel together much, on one of his many trips he randomly sent me some fridge magnets with a colleague traveling back to DC. It made me laugh because it was so much effort for something so absurd — a great balance of sincere thoughtfulness and light-hearted fun. So, I started looking for fridge magnets for him when I traveled, and we would exchange them through others or on the rare occasions that we met.”
He cultivated meaningful and lasting relationships with his students, too.
“He always prioritized human interactions while working with his clients and teaching his students […] and had successfully implemented projects with high complexity because of his capacity of adaptation, his communication skills and multicultural background.”
How we will remember you, David.
“He could laugh with his eyes really well. I would remember him that way. That, or crushing a presentation and then wining and dining a client.”
“I would say, he would want us to remember him as the explorer, the storyteller, the lover of life and nature. The person who enjoys coffee with views, the soul who is fascinated by the Middle East and that his two favorite places on earth are Meghri and Artsakh.”
“He was giving back to his community by helping others even when he needed support. I want David to be remembered as the symbol of peace, kindness, and generosity.”
“I want us to remember him as a kind, cultured man who was a true professional.”
“We will remember him as a bright person who opened up many things about his company and home country to the rest of the world […] He had a sharp eye for beauty. His photos show he was the one who captured what others might have missed, and it was his way of working — paying attention to every detail.”
“Sometimes I still think he is at the office, and I can go upstairs to him to discuss something and ask for advice. I want him to be remembered as a noble, healthy, professional man who loved his family very much.”
The memories were shared by Emilya Khachatryan, Araz Kekejian, Arthur Hovanesian, Hasmik Martirosyan, Ashot Hovanesian and Adam Watson. Prepared by Parandzem Avagyan.
