Looking for an international keynote speaker in Amsterdam?
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 Amsterdam 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
Dutch audiences don’t do polite silence. They ask the question everybody else was thinking, usually before you have finished your sentence, and I love them for it. A speaker in Amsterdam has to be ready for a real conversation, not just a performance. That suits me perfectly, because my keynotes are built to start discussions that continue long after I leave the stage.
For nearly twenty years I sat on your side of the table. I led the leadership academy of Europe’s largest retail and tourism group, decided which leaders rose, and booked the speakers who stood in front of them. I worked with leaders from Germany to the UK and Hong Kong, and the best of them shared one very Dutch habit: they never accepted an answer without asking why.
An Austrian mother, a French father, a Spanish grandmother, an Italian grandfather, and more than twenty years with a German husband: crossing borders is simply how I live. Today I call Florida home and have served audiences in more than 25 countries. Amsterdam, with its canals, bikes and blunt honesty, always keeps me on my toes.
Trusted by organizations around the world
Choose your route
Two keynotes, built for your Amsterdam 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 Amsterdam: in a city of tech scale-ups and international headquarters, your audience is already testing AI. This shows them what to keep firmly in human hands.
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 Amsterdam: Dutch teams decide fast and say so openly. It gives them a shared framework for why some leaders are followed and others merely tolerated.
Bring the world’s first 3D immersive keynote to Amsterdam
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 Amsterdam, our team works hand in hand with your venue and AV partner, so the wow never costs you a sleepless night.
Built for direct audiencesInteractive, open to challenge, and tested on international teams from Germany to the UK and Hong Kong.
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 Amsterdam: local insights
Amsterdam hosted 91 international association meetings in 2025, placing it 20th (joint) in ICCA's 2025 City Rankings. Here is what helps when you plan yours.
Fly inAmsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS)Trains from Schiphol reach Amsterdam Centraal in about 15 minutes, with around 10 trains per hour.
Time zoneCET / CESTCheck the live clock under the departures board above.
LanguageDutch, with English very widely spoken in businessSylvie’s keynotes are delivered in English and built for international audiences.
CurrencyEuro (EUR)Many shops, cafés and venues are card-only, and some do not accept cash at all.
Leave room for questions. Dutch audiences are direct and egalitarian and expect open Q&A; Sylvie welcomes the challenge and builds time for it into her keynote.
Think bikes, not taxis. Many delegates travel by bike, tram or train, so allow walking and transit time between venues instead of counting on taxis.
Watch the RAI calendar.IBC in September and METSTRADE in November both fill RAI Amsterdam, so check those weeks first. And leave the cash at home: many venues are card only.
Taking it on the road?Brussels, London and Paris are all close by, so Amsterdam makes an easy first stop on a European keynote tour.
Make the evening unforgettable. Take your guests on an evening boat through the UNESCO Canal Ring, then up to A’DAM Lookout for the view across the water.
Landmarks for your evening program
Canal Ring (UNESCO) by evening boatRijksmuseumVan Gogh MuseumRoyal Palace on Dam SquareA'DAM LookoutJordaanNEMO Science MuseumMagere Brug
Questions planners ask about Amsterdam
Who is a good international keynote speaker for a conference in Amsterdam?
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 Amsterdam?
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 Amsterdam.
Can the 3D immersive keynote be staged in a Amsterdam venue?
Yes, wherever there is a stage and a room that can go dark. Sylvie’s team works directly with your Amsterdam 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 Amsterdam?
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 Amsterdam?
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 Amsterdam?
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 Netherlands?
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 Netherlands requires for foreign speakers. They check the requirements for Netherlands 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 Amsterdam?
As early as your dates are set. Peak conference seasons in Amsterdam 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 Amsterdam event?
Yes. Both keynotes are available in person, hybrid or virtual, and each version is customized to your audience and theme.