Fully customized. Never off the shelf.
Built for your Ottawa stage.
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 Ottawa stages: Forever Human and The Power of Choice, live or as the world’s first 3D immersive keynote.
An Austrian mother, a French father, a Spanish grandmother and an Italian grandfather, plus family ties to Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates: diplomacy started at our dinner table long before I ever visited a capital city. In Ottawa, where a room may move between English and French mid-sentence, that upbringing comes in very handy. 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. I led learning and development for Europe’s largest tourism and retail group, collaborating with teams from the UK to Hong Kong. That work taught me to respect two things above all: a clear argument and an audience’s limited time.
Today I call Florida home, but I keep close professional ties across Canada, have worked alongside many Ontario-based organizations. As a former board member of the Global Speakers Federation, I care about ideas that cross borders, and Ottawa is a capital that crosses them every day.
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 Ottawa: in the nation’s capital, policy makers and national associations are deciding how AI will shape work. This shows them what must stay human.
Explore Forever Human
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 Ottawa: for leaders in public service and national associations, trust is the currency. It shows why some leaders are followed and others merely tolerated.
Explore The Power of ChoiceNo 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 Ottawa, our team works hand in hand with your venue and AV partner, so the wow never costs you a sleepless night.
Explore the 3D experienceCanada’s capital is a busy convention city: in fiscal 2024/25 the Rogers Centre Ottawa hosted 266 events, with conventions drawing 37,000 out-of-town visitors. Here is what helps when you plan yours.
| Venue | Area | Up to |
|---|---|---|
| Cohere Centre (formerly EY Centre) | South Ottawa, near the airport | 8,900 (reception) |
| Rogers Centre Ottawa (formerly Shaw Centre) | Downtown, Rideau Canal | 6,000 (reception) |
| Infinity Convention Centre | Hunt Club | 2,500 (reception) |
| National Arts Centre | Downtown, Confederation Square | 2,065 (seats, largest hall) |
| Ottawa Conference and Event Centre | Coventry Road, east Ottawa | 1,000 |
Capacities as published by Ottawa Tourism.
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.
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 Ottawa.
Yes, wherever there is a stage and a room that can go dark. Sylvie’s team works directly with your Ottawa venue and AV partner, checks the floor plan early and sends the full tech requirements. See how the experience works.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
As early as your dates are set. Peak conference seasons in Ottawa 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.
Yes. Both keynotes are available in person, hybrid or virtual, and each version is customized to your audience and theme.
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