Keynote Speaker in Montreal | Sylvie di Giusto, Hall of Fame

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Looking for an international keynote speaker in Montreal?

Sylvie di Giusto calls the United States home, and airport lounges around the world her second office. She is a CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame keynote speaker who helps organizations, and the people inside them, become impossible to replace. She has worked with leaders from Germany to the UK and Hong Kong, and brings two keynotes to Montreal stages: Forever Human and The Power of Choice, live or as the world’s first 3D immersive keynote.

PassengerYour audience

ClassIrreplaceable

GateYour stage

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Languages: English
Keynotes: Forever Human
The Power of Choice
Formats: 3D immersive or traditional · in person, hybrid, virtual
Recognition: CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame · Esprit, Davey and EventEx awards
Reach: Audiences in 25+ countries
Books: More than a dozen books on leadership and being chosen

Sylvie di Giusto, keynote speaker, smiling

Bonjour, je suis Sylvie.

An Austrian mother, a French father, a Spanish grandmother and an Italian grandfather: switching between cultures, and languages, was simply part of my childhood. So Montreal, where a meeting can open with bonjour, continue with hello and end in a perfectly natural mix of both, feels familiar the moment I land. Among others, I have served audiences for the Canadian Society of Association Executives in Vancouver, CCAE in Montreal, CMDC and EPIC Community in Toronto, and The Co-operators in Edmonton.

For nearly twenty years I sat on your side of the table, managing leadership development for one of Europe’s largest tourism and retail groups and working with Fortune 100 companies. That taught me what a truly international room needs, and Montreal knows international rooms: it has led North America in international conventions for ten years running.

Today I live in Florida with my German husband of more than twenty years, who navigates our cross-cultural life with grace and some necessary humor. I work with Canadian organizations year after year, and I’m a past board member of the Global Speakers Federation. Montreal is a city where my message never needs a passport.

Trusted by organizations around the world

Choose your route

Two keynotes, built for your Montreal audience

Future of work & AI

Forever Human

The better the machines get, the more your people will set you apart.

AI just made everyone equally capable. Sylvie names the ten moves a machine still can’t make and shows your audience how to lead, sell and connect with the human signals technology can’t fake.

Why it lands in Montreal: in North America’s top city for international conventions, audiences arrive with big questions about AI. This answers the most human one: what a machine still can’t do.

Explore Forever Human

Leadership & sales

The Power of Choice

What your people know rarely gets them chosen. What others see in them does.

Clients, talent and the room decide in seconds. Sylvie reveals the five dimensions that quietly decide who gets kept, followed and chosen, and how to shape them on purpose.

Why it lands in Montreal: in a bilingual city where even hello is a choice, it shows how people are judged in seconds, and how leaders get kept, followed and chosen.

Explore The Power of Choice

Step inside it

Bring the world’s first 3D immersive keynote to Montreal

No slides, no pre-recorded hologram beamed in from somewhere else. Sylvie stays live in the room while holograms appear around her, and your leaders, sponsors and theme can step into the story. In Montreal, our team works hand in hand with your venue and AV partner, so the wow never costs you a sleepless night.

Explore the 3D experience

Why planners bring Sylvie to Montreal

French roots, Canadian tiesA French father, years of work with Canadian organizations, and keynotes in English that feel at home in a bilingual Montreal audience.

From your side of the tableTwenty years of booking speakers herself. She knows what you risk when you choose one.

Built for your roomEvery keynote is researched and customized, down to your people, your theme and your city.

Zero diva, full partnerOne team for travel and logistics, working hand in hand with yours or your bureau’s, and a speaker who makes your event the star.

Planning a conference in Montreal: local insights

Montreal knows how to host the world: in 2025 it ranked first in North America for international conventions for the 10th year in a row. Here is what helps when you plan yours.

Fly inMontréal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL)STM bus 747 runs 24/7 between the airport and downtown, about 30-35 minutes to Lionel-Groulx metro and 45-70 minutes to Berri-UQAM depending on traffic.

Time zoneEST / EDTCheck the live clock under the departures board above.

LanguageFrench, with English widely spoken in businessSylvie’s keynotes are delivered in English and built for international audiences.

CurrencyCanadian dollar (CAD)Quebec adds 5% GST and 9.975% QST to most invoices.

Montreal’s largest event venues

Venue	Area	Up to
Bell Centre	Downtown	21,000
Palais des congrès de Montréal	Quartier international	13,863
New City Gas	Griffintown	4,000
Windsor Station	Downtown	2,500
Centre Mont-Royal	Downtown	2,390
Hôtel Bonaventure Montréal	Downtown	1,248

Capacities as published by Tourisme Montréal (meet.mtl.org).

My planner tips for Montreal

Go bilingual on paper. Quebec’s Charter of the French language requires French on commercial signage and many printed materials, so plan French and English versions of every event piece from the start.
Mind late June and early July. The Fête nationale on June 24 and July 1, the traditional moving day for leases, both squeeze availability, so book venues and hotels early for that window.
Match the venue to the moment. From the Palais des congrès de Montréal (up to 13,863 people) to the historic Windsor Station (2,500), the city has a stage for every format, including a 3D immersive keynote.
Taking it on the road? Pair Montreal with Quebec City and Ottawa for a short, scenic leadership tour of Canada’s bilingual heart.
Make the evening unforgettable. Walk your guests through the cobblestones of Old Montréal to Notre-Dame Basilica, then let the city lights from Mount Royal close the evening.

Landmarks for your evening program

Old MontréalNotre-Dame BasilicaMount RoyalOld PortJean-Talon MarketOlympic ParkMontréal Museum of Fine ArtsQuartier des Spectacles

Questions planners ask about Montreal

Who is a good international keynote speaker for a conference in Montreal?

Sylvie di Giusto is a CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame keynote speaker and has worked with leaders across Europe and Asia. She delivers two keynotes, Forever Human on the human edge in the age of AI and The Power of Choice on how people get chosen, either on a traditional stage or as the world’s first 3D immersive keynote.

Can the keynote be tailored to an international audience in Montreal?

Yes. Every keynote is researched and customized for your people, your industry and your theme, and Sylvie’s multicultural background helps her connect with audiences of many nationalities in Montreal.

Can the 3D immersive keynote be staged in a Montreal venue?

Yes, wherever there is a stage and a room that can go dark. Sylvie’s team works directly with your Montreal venue and AV partner, checks the floor plan early and sends the full tech requirements. See how the experience works.

Which keynote fits an AI or technology conference in Montreal?

Forever Human. It shows audiences the ten moves a machine still can’t make, and turns AI anxiety into a clear plan for the human skills that grow in value as technology gets better.

Which keynote fits a leadership, sales or HR event in Montreal?

The Power of Choice. It reveals the five dimensions that decide who gets kept, followed and chosen, and shows people how to shape those judgments on purpose. It is built on Sylvie’s book The Image of Leadership.

Sylvie is based in the US. Does she travel to Montreal?

Yes. Sylvie speaks in more than 25 countries. Her team handles travel and logistics, so you work with one contact from the first call to the show.

Can we book Sylvie through our local speaker bureau?

Yes. Sylvie partners with speaker bureaus around the world. If a bureau already supports your event, Sylvie’s team will work directly with them from the first call to the show, so you keep the partner you trust.

What about visas, permits and other formalities for a keynote in Canada?

Sylvie’s team handles it with you. Sylvie speaks internationally all year, so her team knows the paperwork a cross-border keynote can involve: business visas or work permits, invitation letters, and any tax forms Canada requires for foreign speakers. They check the requirements for Canada early, tell you exactly what they need from you, and take care of the rest, so nothing stands between your date and the stage.

How far in advance should we book a keynote speaker for Montreal?

As early as your dates are set. Peak conference seasons in Montreal fill venues and hotels fast, and the 3D immersive keynote needs a few weeks of custom work for your audience. Check availability to hold your date.

Can Sylvie speak virtually or in a hybrid format for a Montreal event?

Yes. Both keynotes are available in person, hybrid or virtual, and each version is customized to your audience and theme.

Around the clock

Still have questions? Ask Edna.

Last updated: October 2026

International
keynote speaker
in Montreal