Available to book
Transform challenges into opportunities with Elias Kanaris, speaker specialising in resilience, leadership and trust. Elias works with organisations to build high-performing teams and navigate adversity, delivering insights as former President of the Global Speakers Federation.
Elias Kanaris is a renowned thought leader in resilience, leadership, and trust.
As the CEO of the Insight and Strategy Group and former President of the Global Speakers Federation, Elias has over 25 years of experience in corporate and non-profit sectors. He equips organisations to navigate adversity, protect their brand, and retain top talent.
Elias' insights are drawn from his unique experiences, including being stranded in Newfoundland during 9/11, which he uses to teach resilience and trust.
His engaging keynotes are tailored for diverse industries, offering actionable strategies to build high-performing teams.
Book Elias Kanaris to inspire your team and transform challenges into opportunities.
Topics, sessions and talks
Elias Kanaris was a passenger on one of the 38 planes diverted to Gander, Newfoundland, on September 11, 2001. In his keynote, he shares his personal experiences from that day, highlighting themes of resilience and community. Now, Elias reflects on the profound impact of those events 20 years later. Attendees will learn about the power of human connection in times of crisis and the importance of resilience in overcoming adversity.
In his keynote, Elias Kanaris emphasises the importance of building trust, whether in a multinational organisation or at home. Drawing from his experience as a senior consultant managing top clients, he shares insights from Captain Mike Ballard's leadership during the UA929 incident, where trust was crucial for the stranded passengers. Attendees will learn the five pillars of T.R.U.S.T. and how to create a supportive environment during adversity, enabling them to apply these principles in both personal and professional settings.
Elias Kanaris, a leader with experience in a $6.5 billion industry and cross-cultural teams across 18 countries, emphasises that effective leadership is crucial for organisational success. During his time with a major brand in New Zealand, he identified significant gaps between perception and reality but was advised to suppress his leadership instincts. In this keynote, attendees will explore the dynamics within their leadership teams, reflect on their own influence, and learn how to address dysfunction to protect their organisational achievements.
Featured Projects
often considered together
Alex Mahon
Effective Leadership
Change Management
Diversity and Inclusion
Adam Mendler
Effective Leadership
Leadership Development
Employee Engagement
Anj Handa
Gender Equality
Diversity and Inclusion
Digital Transformation
frequently asked questions
Something we've not covered here?
Elias Kanaris draws on his first-hand experience as a passenger on one of the 38 diverted flights during the September 11 attacks to ground his keynotes in lived testimony, using that event as a throughline across topics of resilience, trust, and leadership. His T.R.U.S.T. framework — derived from Captain Mike Ballard's conduct during the UA929 incident — gives audiences a structured, five-pillar model they can apply directly to their own organisations.
Elias Kanaris speaks on resilience in crisis, building trust in high-performing teams, and leadership dynamics within organisations. He is the former President of the Global Speakers Federation and CEO of the Insight and Strategy Group, with over 25 years of experience across corporate and non-profit sectors.
No. PepTalk adds no booking fee, so you pay the speaker's fee and nothing beyond it. The service, from shortlist through to contracts and event-day logistics, is included. For repeat or multi-event bookings, PepTalk can agree preferential rates with your procurement team.
Share your event date, audience, format, objectives and budget, and PepTalk sends a hand-picked shortlist within 24 hours. Each suggestion comes with a profile, a fee and a recommendation on the strongest fit. Once you choose, PepTalk handles contracts, travel and logistics through to event day.
The typical fee range is the speaker's standard in-person fee in their home market, shown in their local currency. It moves with format, location, date and session length: virtual sessions and shorter slots usually cost less, while international travel and peak dates cost more. Send your brief to PepTalk and the team will confirm the exact fee in your currency.
Not all of them, and it makes no difference to your booking. PepTalk's network of 15,000+ speakers covers talent the team works with directly alongside speakers represented by agents and agencies worldwide. PepTalk approaches the speaker, negotiates the fee and handles contracting either way.
Three to six months ahead is comfortable for most events, and 12 months is better for large conferences, peak-season dates or one specific in-demand speaker. Shorter timelines are workable, and PepTalk regularly fills last-minute and replacement bookings within days. Availability is the constraint, so get in touch as soon as you have a date.
