How long is a keynote?

Most run 45 to 60 minutes, and I am happy to go to 90 with questions built in. Tell me the slot you have and I will shape the talk to it rather than trimming it on the day.

Fees are flat and quoted after a short conversation about your goals, audience, and format. Travel and incidentals are included, so the number you see is the number you pay.

How far in advance should we book?

Ideally eight weeks or more, which leaves time to tailor the material properly. Shorter timelines sometimes work, so it is always worth asking.

How much do you tailor it?

Every talk is reshaped around your theme, your industry, and what your people are actually dealing with. That usually means a pre-event call or two, and sometimes a short survey of your audience beforehand.

What do you need in the room?

A microphone I can move with, a screen, and the ability to see faces. Everything else is negotiable. The full technical list is in the speaker kit.

Do you do virtual keynotes?

Yes, and I treat them as their own craft rather than a webcam pointed at a stage talk. Polls, chat, and breakouts where they help, and a shorter run time because attention online is a different animal.

Leadership Keynote Speaker & Bestselling Author

Dan Pontefract keynote speaker

Dan Pontefract is a leadership keynote speaker based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, speaking worldwide face-to-face and virtually. Keynotes run 45 to 90 minutes and are tailored to each event. Six ready-made keynotes: The Age Opportunity, Work-Life Bloom, Lead. Care. Win., Purpose Fuels People, Collaborative Cultures, and Open Thinking. Custom keynotes are written for individual events. Fees are flat and include travel. Eight weeks lead time is ideal. Email speak@danpontefract.com.

TED Talks

Dan is deeply honoured to have been asked to deliver four different TEDx Talks. Each of them has targeted a specific audience, yet in totality, they tell a story about Dan’s passion: helping people reach their full potential. You can watch each of them below.

We Are Losing the Ability to Think, and What to Do About It

The Purpose Effect

How Schools Can Save Companies From Collapsing

Mr. Classroomachev: Tear Down This Wall

Testimonials

Dan was incredibly collaborative, ensuring our session was tailored to meet our needs. He was both engaging and knowledgeable, using illustrative examples that showcased his expertise and providing tools for leaders to leverage immediately. Additionally, he injected a sense of fun that made the topic not only interesting but also entertaining.

Frank Monteleone, CHRO & CPO, Rexall Pharmacy Group Ltd.
Dan Pontefract delivered a powerful, thought‑provoking keynote session that resonated deeply with every attendee. His ability to blend compelling storytelling with actionable insights was nothing short of extraordinary.

Sidh NC, Director, QnA International, UAE
We are so proud to have had you at our event. Your talk was a big hit. It moved us. We can’t thank you enough.

Malin Björnell, Salesforce
Dan was engaging, authentic, and full of energy. His keynote connected with our audience and left them inspired. A true professional and a pleasure to work with.

Erin Whetstone, Ontario Retirement Communities Association (ORCA)
Dan Pontefract’s keynote on the importance of workplace culture in employee engagement was excellent. Dan used his vast leadership experience to provide our conference attendees with practical strategies to build teams that are engaged and committed. His relatable, real-life examples were thought provoking, memorable and very personal, creating a connection to the audience. I would highly recommend Dan as an entertaining keynote speaker who delivers content that is relevant and actionable.

Michelle Hillyard, Director SCU
Dan challenged us to have clarity of purpose, both as individuals and as an organization. He related inspiring stories drawing on his experience in business, technology and academia. As he said, ‘There is no ownership without belonging.’

Christian Pantel, D2L
Fantastic engaging talk for our global partner summit. Thank you so much, Dan!

Barb Kinnard, CEO Response Biomedical Corp
Dan not only brought his presentation to life with his charisma, but also content, style and presentation finesse. Our members were especially interested in his thought provoking and top of mind topic on the future of work and how we’re going to be leading the next generation of leaders.

Cheryl Goodwin, CPA
Dan is a conference organizer’s ideal speaker. Not only did he inspire and energize our group, but he also masterfully adapted his content so it resonated with the audience and our conference theme. As a bonus, Dan is able to nimbly navigate to adjust to a reduced time slot when other speakers went over time without sacrificing the impact of his session.

Director and General Counsel
Dan accomplished what we set out to do, which was not only to be inspirational, but also to leave everyone with tools and food for thought / self-reflection to improve their personal and professional lives.

Hermann Handa, FCT

Keynotes

Dan Pontefract keynote speaker

TED Talks

Testimonials

Media Appearances