Keynote Speaker in Melbourne | Sylvie di Giusto

Boarding passFlight SDG 2026 · Seat 3D

FromTPATampa

ToMELMelbourne

Looking for an international keynote speaker in Melbourne?

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 Melbourne stages: Forever Human and The Power of Choice, live or as the world’s first 3D immersive keynote.

PassengerYour audience

ClassIrreplaceable

GateYour stage

BoardingWhen you are ready

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

Hello, I’m Sylvie.

Melbourne argues about coffee the way other cities argue about politics, and I mean that as a compliment. A city that cares this much about getting the details right is a city that listens closely. Melbourne audiences reward a speaker who has done the work and quietly, but unmistakably, notice one who has not. I always do the work.

For nearly twenty years I sat on your side of the table. Running the leadership academy of Europe’s largest retail and tourism group meant choosing every speaker our leaders saw, and living with the feedback afterwards. I learned to spot the difference between a talk that entertains for an hour and one that changes how people work for a year.

I was born in Austria, have been married to a German for more than twenty years, and now live in Florida, so I am used to dressing for every climate in the same week. Melbourne, I hear, compresses that into a single afternoon. With audiences in more than 25 countries behind me, I am ready to pack for all four seasons.

Trusted by organizations around the world

Choose your route

Two keynotes, built for your Melbourne 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 Melbourne: with universities, research institutes and fast-growing tech firms all wrestling with AI, it gives your people a clear view of where the human edge still wins.

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 Melbourne: in a city of discerning, detail-loving audiences, it explains exactly how leaders earn trust and why some get chosen while others get overlooked.

Explore The Power of Choice

Step inside it

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

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 Melbourne, 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 Melbourne

Built for discerning audiencesResearch-backed, rehearsed to the minute and tailored for audiences who notice every detail, from the first slide to the last story.

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 Melbourne: local insights

Melbourne is one of Australia’s busiest business events cities: in 2024/25 the Melbourne Convention Bureau secured 230 future events expected to bring 57,000 delegates. Here is what helps when you plan yours.

Fly inMelbourne Airport (Tullamarine) (MEL)SkyBus runs between Melbourne Airport and Southern Cross Station around the clock; the trip takes about 30 minutes, or around 45 at peak times.

Time zoneAEST / AEDTCheck the live clock under the departures board above.

LanguageEnglishSylvie’s keynotes are delivered in English and built for international audiences.

CurrencyAustralian dollar (AUD)Contactless card payment is the norm almost everywhere; some businesses add a small surcharge for card payments.

Melbourne’s largest event venues

Venue	Area	Up to
Marvel Stadium	Docklands	60,000 (conference, full arena mode)
Rod Laver Arena	Melbourne Park	14,500
Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC), Plenary	South Wharf	5,564 (theatre)
CENTREPIECE Grand Hall	Melbourne Park	3,000 (cocktail)
Crown Conference Centre	Southbank	840

Capacities as published by Melbourne Convention Bureau / venue sites.

My planner tips for Melbourne

Pack for four seasons. Melbourne weather can change several times a day, so plan covered transfers and an indoor backup for any outdoor reception.
Mind the sporting calendar. The Australian Open fills Melbourne Park in January and Melbourne Cup Day in early November is a public holiday, so check both before you lock in dates.
Start with an Acknowledgement. Australian conferences customarily open with an Acknowledgement of Country, so give it a proper place in the run of show before the keynote begins.
Taking it on the road? Combine Melbourne with Sydney, Auckland or Singapore and take one message across the region.
Make the evening unforgettable. Lead your guests through the street-art laneways around Hosier Lane to dinner, then end the night above the city lights at Eureka Skydeck.

Landmarks for your evening program

Laneways and Hosier Lane street artFederation Square and Flinders Street StationRoyal Botanic Gardens VictoriaMelbourne Cricket Ground (MCG)Southbank and the Yarra RiverEureka SkydeckQueen Victoria MarketState Library Victoria

Questions planners ask about Melbourne

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

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 Melbourne?

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 Melbourne.

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

Yes, wherever there is a stage and a room that can go dark. Sylvie’s team works directly with your Melbourne 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 Melbourne?

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 Melbourne?

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 Melbourne?

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 Australia?

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 Australia requires for foreign speakers. They check the requirements for Australia 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 Melbourne?

As early as your dates are set. Peak conference seasons in Melbourne 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 Melbourne 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 Melbourne