Keynote Speaker Canada
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Innovation & Leadership Keynote Speaker Based in Toronto, Canada
Fenton Jagdeo is an exited startup founder, innovation strategist, and professor whose "Curiosity Compass" framework helps organizations anticipate trends, navigate disruption, and turn curiosity into innovation. He built Faculty, a men's cosmetics brand that raised $3M from Estée Lauder and was later acquired by the company, and is the youngest-ever board member of the Toronto Transit Commission. He’a also the youngest professor at OCAD University.
Fenton brings a rare mix of entrepreneurial credibility, design-forward strategy expertise, and lived experience. He delivers keynotes that are insightful, practical, and impactful, making him a sought-after speaker on innovation, leadership, and AI.
Client Testimonials
Here are some client testimonials Fenton has received for his keynotes:
Carol Alfieri, SVP People Experience @ OMERS
Fenton partnered with OMERS to equip their HR team with strategic foresight capabilities, delivering a tailored session that introduced practical tools for navigating uncertainty and fostering innovation, resulting in a measurable shift toward more proactive and future-oriented decision-making.
Francesca Accinelli, SVP Program Strategy & Industry Development @ Telefilm Canada
Fenton opened Telefilm Canada’s strategy session with a keynote that sparked fresh thinking, encouraging leaders to use radical curiosity as a tool for navigating change and driving creative innovation.
Barry Alexander, Chief Marketing & Diversity Officer @ The Canadian Marketing Association
Fenton delivered two CMA keynotes focused on turning insight into action. His Inclusion session reframed EDI as a driver of innovation, equipping leaders with Practical Allyship tools. His Consumer Trends session unpacked seven key shifts shaping Canadian consumers in 2026, translating signals into clear implications for marketers.
Fenton’s Signature Keynote
Embarrassingly Human: Why the Next Advantage Is Care, Taste, and Judgment
Fenton introduces the HUMAN Framework, a practical operating system for staying human under pressure. Blending lessons from multiple disciplines, he also shows audiences how to use distinctly human capabilities to complement AI, strengthen trust, and create experiences that technology alone cannot replicate.
Audience Takeaways
Participants will learn how to:
Identify the mighty micro-moments where customer and employee trust is won, lost, or rebuilt.
Apply the HUMAN Framework to respond with greater clarity, judgment, ownership, and follow-through.
Avoid the Corporate Efficiency Trap by balancing automation and scale with care, dignity, and human discretion.
Turn humanity into a measurable organizational capability that reduces friction, strengthens loyalty, and improves performance.
Additional Keynote Topics
Fenton customizes his keynotes to make sure his message connects with the audience and leaves a lasting impact.
Fenton demystifies what it means to pursue innovation, strategic planning and radical curiosity. He shows why it’s so important to the long term success of organizations & what happens if you don’t innovate.
Fenton talks through his experiences in the world of leadership and civic engagement, from the first door he ever knocked on for a candidate to joining large decision making bodies that impact your day to day like public transit and libraries.
Fenton talks through his experiences in innovation, from the first curious question he ever asked to helping large organizations rethink how they make decisions. He shows why building an innovation culture is so important for companies’ survival.
Toronto-Based Keynote Speaker
Fenton Jagdeo calls Toronto home. Based in the heart of Toronto, he is available for conferences, corporate retreats, leadership summits, and events of all sizes throughout the Toronto metro area, across Ontario, and nationwide. His local roots mean less travel friction and more energy on stage, and his familiarity with Toronto's business community allows him to tailor his message to resonate with your specific audience.
