What do audiences want to hear about in 2026? We went straight to the source to find out.
Every year, we survey our clients to stay ahead of evolving industry trends, including trending topics. Based on our survey, six topics rose to the top, painting a clear picture of what’s on the minds of leaders and organizations coming out of Q1 2026.
From rapid technological change and economic uncertainty to the deeply human topics of resilience, innovation, and well-being, meet the speakers we recommend to explore these trending topics at your next event.
Most Requested Speaker Topics of 2026
We surveyed thousands of our clients, asking “Which topics or themes are most relevant to your audience in 2026?” Six themes rose to the top. AI and emerging technology led the way, cited by 67% of respondents, followed by leadership and change management at 50% and innovation and disruption at 30% — with resilience, economic outlook, and mental health rounding out the list. Learn more about each topic below and discover how our leading keynote speakers help audiences navigate today’s most pressing challenges.
AI and Emerging Technology
AI is no longer an experiment. It’s the new infrastructure of business. As leaders continue to navigate this rapid disruption, AI and emerging technologies is consistently one of our most requested topics. Meet just some of our in-demand AI experts below who bring distinct perspectives on where AI is headed and what it means for your organization, industry, and people.
Dr. Helen Papagiannis
What Comes After What’s Next? AI+ and the New Rules of Human Experience
A globally recognized authority on AI and immersive technologies, Dr. Helen Papagiannis helps leaders stay ahead of AI trends through her signature AfterNext lens. She translates complex technological change into clear, actionable insights and a roadmap to redefining the future of business.
Taylor Owen
The AI Revolution: What Every Leader Needs to Know About Our Digital Future
As host of the Globe and Mail‘s podcast Machines Like Us, Taylor Owen decodes the AI revolution — translating conversations with global developers, entrepreneurs, and policymakers into clear insights on opportunities, ethical challenges, and building a culture ready for an AI-powered world.
Mitch Joel
Present Future: How Smart Leaders Use AI to Accelerate Strategy and Momentum
Drawing on his proprietary P.A.C.E. framework, Mitch Joel takes audiences beyond the AI hype. Through real-world examples and live demonstrations, he reveals how AI can elevate strategy, strengthen creativity, unlock a new “one-to-X” personalization, and turn complexity into clarity.
Browse our full roster of AI and digital transformation experts to find the right fit for your audience.
Leadership and Change Management
Our second most requested topic, leadership and change management sits at the heart of every organization navigating disruption. Our roster of leadership experts offer fresh perspectives on what it takes to lead through uncertainty, cultivate agile and resilient teams, and build change-ready, adaptable organizations equipped for whatever comes next.
Hamza Khan
Hope IS a Strategy: Leading with Impact in a Changing Landscape
Globally recognized leadership expert Hamza Khan makes a compelling case that hope isn’t wishful thinking — it’s a deliberate leadership strategy. He shows leaders how to inspire confidence, build resilient teams, and drive meaningful progress through hope-driven leadership.
Rola Dagher
Leading Through Change: Building Adaptable, Future-Ready Organizations in the Age of AI
As the former President and CEO of Cisco Canada, Rola Dagher shows leaders how to turn disruption into opportunity, making the case that a “learn-it-all” mindset and human-centered leadership are the true competitive edge in an AI-driven world.
Bruce Kirkby
The Moment of Growth for Leaders
Through cinematic storytelling and raw vulnerability, adventurer and author Bruce Kirkby helps leaders identify the invisible “moment before growth” where teams stall — and gives them a practical roadmap to guide people through fear and uncertainty toward lasting transformation.
Ready to equip your leaders with the tools to navigate change and drive lasting transformation? Browse our full roster of leadership experts.
Innovation and Disruption
Innovation and disruption is now the mandate of every leader, team, and organization looking to stay relevant in our rapidly changing world, which is why it continuously ranks as one of our top requested topics. Our speakers deliver the mindset shifts, frameworks, and bold thinking needed to spark meaningful change from within.
Shawn Kanungo
The Bold Ones: How to Innovate and Disrupt Ourselves
Global innovation strategist Shawn Kanungo reveals the essential DNA of bold disruptors — showing audiences how to capitalize on uncertainty and turn limitations into advantages. Audiences will learn how to tap into their bold DNA and become truly indispensable in an age of constant change.
David Usher
Artificial Intelligence and the Power of Creative Thinking
Award-winning musician and AI CEO David Usher brings a unique perspective to the AI conversation — arguing that creative thinking is the key to unlocking AI’s potential. Through live music, tech demos, and humour, he inspires audiences to embrace the AI revolution both personally and professionally.
Dr. Chika Stacy Oriuwa
The Blueprint for Innovation: Three Pillars of Transformational Leadership
Drawing on her expertise as a resident psychiatrist and leadership expert, Dr. Chika Stacy Oriuwa unveils a neuroscience-driven framework for innovation — showing leaders how to cultivate an innovation-ready mindset, ignite potential in others, and harness collective genius for lasting impact.
Innovation starts with the right conversation. See more of our innovation and disruption speakers.
Resilience and Adversity
Resilience is the foundation of high performance, sustainable leadership, and lasting organizational success. Here are some of the speakers we recommend to equip your audiences with the mindset and tools to turn life’s inevitable challenges into catalysts for growth.
Dr. Susan Biali
Stress Resilience for High Performers: Accelerate Recovery and Maximize Brain Health
Stress resilience expert Dr. Susan Biali draws on the latest breakthroughs in neuroscience and physiology to reframe how we think about stress and adversity. She gives audiences science-backed tools to build lasting resilience, accelerate recovery, and sustain peak performance.
Mark Bentz
Beyond the Barrier: Turning Adversity into Asset
After becoming legally blind at age nine, Paralympian Mark Bentz developed the mindset to approach obstacles as opportunities. Through sharing his personal story alongside proven mindset tools, he shows audiences how to harness setbacks for momentum and emerge stronger.
Sarah Wells
Overcoming Hurdles: Embracing Change and Turning Obstacles into Opportunities
Inspiring and transformative, Olympian Sarah Wells shows audiences how to reframe obstacles and setbacks. Drawing from her journey as an elite athlete, she shares the essential mindset shifts that empower individuals and organizations to not just face adversity but use it as a catalyst for growth.
Discover more of our roster of resilience experts.
Economic Outlook and Strategy
With tariffs reshaping global trade, markets in flux, and economic uncertainty at every turn, leaders are hungry for clarity on what’s ahead and how to navigate it. Here are some of the in-demand speakers helping audiences make sense of today’s economic landscape and prepare for what’s coming.
Amber Kanwar
In the Money with Amber Kanwar
Renowned financial reporter Amber Kanwar breaks down the biggest trends shaping today’s markets and economy — from cryptocurrency to disruptive technology — tailoring each presentation to the specific trends and implications most relevant to her audience.
Leonard Brody
The Next 730 Days: What to Expect in Technology, the Economy, and the Future of Work
Award-winning business visionary Leonard Brody takes a focused, data-driven look at the next 730 days — exploring the forces shaping technology, the economy, and the future of work, and giving leaders a clear, actionable roadmap for what’s just ahead.
The Hon. Jean Charest
Beyond Borders: Canada and Global Trade in an Uncertain World
A member of the Canada-US Trade Council, the Honourable Jean Charest explores Canada’s shifting trade priorities and the strategic alliances needed to stay competitive in an era of rising protectionism and economic uncertainty.
Get ahead of what’s coming — meet more of our economic outlook and strategy speakers.
Mental Health and Well-Being
Mental health and well-being has moved from a nice-to-have to a business imperative. With burnout, disengagement, and anxiety at record levels, organizations are recognizing that a mentally healthy workforce isn’t just good for people — it’s good for performance. Here are some of the speakers we recommend to help clients jumpstart the conversations that matter most.
Clara Hughes
Open Heart, Open Mind
One of Canada’s most decorated Olympians, Clara Hughes shares the raw and personal story behind her celebrated career — a journey through depression and healing that reveals how vulnerability and connection are the foundations of true resilience.
Jessica Holmes
Mental Health: The Good, the Bad, and the Funny
Comedian and Bell Let’s Talk ambassador Jessica Holmes brings humour, heart, and lived experience to the mental health conversation — showing teams how small, realistic shifts can improve resilience, re-ignite engagement, and make well-being a priority that actually sticks.
Susan Stewart
A Bit More than a Rough Patch: What a Comedian Learned about Taking Mental Health Seriously
With honesty, vulnerability, and a sharp sense of humour, comedian Susan Stewart shares her own mental health crisis to reduce stigma and spark the kind of open, real conversations that help teams feel less alone — and more willing to ask for help.
Ready to bring mental health to the forefront of your next event? Meet more of our top requested mental health speakers.
Let’s Build Your 2026 Lineup
These are the topics your audiences want to hear about — and we have the speakers to deliver. Whether you’re planning one event or a full year of programming, we’re here to help you find the perfect fit.
Not sure where to start? Tell us about your audience, your goals, and your event — and we’ll do the rest. Contact us today!
