Bio:

Suzanne Knight, MBA, MA, is an award-winning expert, keynote, and TEDx speaker, renowned for injecting humour, storytelling, and practical advice on topics including leading and navigating change, the future of work, and digital transformation.

With a distinguished career as a global consultant and corporate executive, Suzanne has guided over 60 companies in 14 countries to thrive, rather than just survive. As an instructor at York University’s Schulich ExecEd business school, she has been imparting knowledge on change management, leadership, and communicating for impact for over a decade.

In 2023, Suzanne co-founded Be Uninterrupted, a social impact organization that uses AI and human connection to help professional women avoid or navigate career interruptions.

Before embarking on her portfolio career, Suzanne held significant executive leadership roles: Vice President of Transformation Services for Walmart Canada, overseeing a portfolio affecting over 100,000 employees, Head of Organizational Effectiveness and Change at Philip Morris International (Canada), Deputy Head of Deloitte’s Transformational Change consulting practice, and leader of Modernizing Services for the Ontario government.

Suzanne holds an MA in Industrial/Organizational Psychology and an MBA in Finance and Strategy. Her contributions and impact have been widely recognized, with accolades such as being named on The Peak’s Emerging Leaders List (under age 40) and Digital Media Zone’s 2023 Women of the Year.

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Speaking Topics: 

The Next Big Thing: Digital Transformation that Actually Moves the Needle

What does it really take to drive ROI from digital transformation?  In this fast-paced and exciting talk, Suzanne shows how high-performing organizations are using generative AI, automation, robotics, and predictive analytics to create measurable impact.  Drawing on her experience leading Digital and Efficiency Transformation for Walmart Canada, Suzanne shares real-world strategies that optimize time and money, build skills, and embed new ways of working to create value.

Audiences will learn how to:

• Leverage bleeding edge technologies to create value
• Start with business problems, not tools, to drive real ROI
• Build a digital-ready workforce and culture
• Avoid “transformation theatre” and shift from activity to impact

Never Waste a Good Crisis: How to Lead with Intention in Uncertain Times

Pressure doesn’t just expose what’s broken. It reveals what’s possible.  In this compelling and practical talk, Suzanne reframes how to respond to disruption. Drawing on her work with leaders and organizations navigating change, Suzanne shows how what can be perceived as a crisis can be used to accelerate clarity, build alignment, and solve root issues that hold teams back.

Audiences will learn how to:

• Shift from firefighting to intentionality
• Make confident decisions in complex or ambiguous situations
• Communicate with clarity and build trust with stakeholders and teams

Relatable Authority in Action: Leadership that Connects and Drives Results

Relatable authority is the ability to lead with credibility and connection, not relying on position, but from building authentic desire to act.  In this talk, Suzanne Knight helps leaders influence across teams, functions, and levels by tapping into what actually inspires followership today: trust, clarity, and shared ownership. This is powerful for companies committed to inclusive, human-centred leadership.

Audiences will learn how to:

• Influence without relying on title or authority
• Build psychological safety to drive performance and alignment
• Calm the waters by reducing conflict and addressing blockers
• Shift team dynamics from compliance to empowerment

Create More Time: Unlocking Capacity, Focus, Flow at Work

Most teams aren’t failing because they aren’t good enough or working hard enough. They’re often working too hard, just not on the things that create the most value. With constant demands, shifting priorities, and unrelenting urgency, it’s easy to confuse activity with impact.  Unlock capacity by redesigning how people work, meet and make decisions. Learn how to work smarter, protect wellbeing, and create space for impact.

Audiences will learn how to:

• Identify hidden drains on time, energy, and team capacity
• Reduce unproductive meetings
• Simplify team communication and decision-making
• Prioritize work that creates real value
• Create time for strategy, innovation, and high-impact thinking