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

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Looking for an international keynote speaker in Istanbul?

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 Istanbul 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

Merhaba, ben Sylvie.

A city with one foot in Europe and the other in Asia asks a lot of a speaker: every message has to land on both shores at once. That is the kind of room where I feel most at home. An Austrian mother, a French father, a Spanish grandmother and an Italian grandfather taught me very early that bridges matter far more than borders.

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, so I know how much a multinational audience can hear in the very same sentence, and how differently each of them hears it.

Airport lounges are my second office, so a city that connects as many continents as Istanbul feels like my kind of place. Today I live in Florida, I have served audiences in more than 25 countries, and I make the same promise to every one of them: a keynote prepared for your people, never recycled from somebody else’s conference.

Trusted by organizations around the world

Choose your route

Two keynotes, built for your Istanbul 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 Istanbul: in a city where trade has bridged two continents for centuries, your audience knows that technology changes and relationships remain. This shows them which human moves AI cannot copy.

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 Istanbul: in a business culture built on personal trust and generous hospitality, it gives your people a shared framework for why some leaders are chosen and others overlooked.

Explore The Power of Choice

Step inside it

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

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 Istanbul, 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 Istanbul

Built for bridging culturesAustrian, French, Spanish and Italian roots, plus years of work with leaders 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 Istanbul: local insights

Istanbul hosted 95 international association meetings in 2025, ranking 19th in ICCA's 2025 City Rankings. Here is what helps when you plan yours.

Fly inIstanbul Airport (IST)The M11 metro runs from Istanbul Airport to Gayrettepe in about 30 minutes.

Time zoneTRT (UTC+3, no daylight saving)Check the live clock under the departures board above.

LanguageTurkish, with English widely used in international business and hotelsSylvie’s keynotes are delivered in English and built for international audiences.

CurrencyTurkish lira (TRY)Cards are widely accepted in hotels and venues; carry some lira for taxis and small vendors.

Istanbul’s largest event venues

Venue	Area	Up to
WOW Istanbul Convention Center	Yeşilköy (Istanbul Expo Center complex)	6,500
Hilton Istanbul Bomonti Hotel & Conference Center	Bomonti, Şişli	6,350
Istanbul Lütfi Kırdar International Convention and Exhibition Centre (ICEC)	Harbiye	6,000
Istanbul Congress Center (ICC), Harbiye Auditorium	Harbiye	3,555
Haliç Congress Center	Sütlüce, Golden Horn waterfront	3,004

Capacities as published by Venue websites, Istanbul Chamber of Commerce and Cvent.

My planner tips for Istanbul

Pick your shore. Cross-Bosphorus traffic can be heavy, so keep delegate hotels and the venue on the same side of the city and allow generous transfer time.
Check the Ramadan dates. Ramadan moves earlier every year and many delegates fast in daylight hours, so plan catering with care and consider an iftar-timed evening program.
Watch the expo calendar. SAHA Expo in October and the Istanbul Jewelry Show in April and October fill the Istanbul Expo Center and nearby hotels, so check those weeks before you sign.
Taking it on the road? Athens, Vienna and Dubai are easy hops from Istanbul, so one message can travel from Europe to the Gulf in a single week.
Make the evening unforgettable. Charter a boat for an evening cruise on the Bosphorus, with Galata Tower and the lights of two continents gliding past.

Landmarks for your evening program

Hagia SophiaBlue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Mosque)Topkapı PalaceGalata TowerBosphorus evening cruiseBasilica CisternGrand BazaarDolmabahçe Palace

Questions planners ask about Istanbul

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

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 Istanbul?

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 Istanbul.

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

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

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 Istanbul?

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 Istanbul?

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 Türkiye?

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 Türkiye requires for foreign speakers. They check the requirements for Türkiye 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 Istanbul?

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