Trust AAE Speakers Bureau for Booking Top Professional Speakers. Find a Keynote Speaker Today.
Trust AAE Speakers Bureau for Booking Top Professional Speakers. Find a Keynote Speaker Today.
Gus Balbontin

Gus Balbontin

Keynote Speaker: Former Executive Director and CTO of Lonely Planet

Gus Balbontin Biography

GUS IS THE FORMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND CTO OF LONELY PLANET. HE LEAD ONE OF THE MOST LOVED AND RECOGNISABLE BRANDS IN THE WORLD THROUGH SIGNIFICANT BUSINESS TRANSFORMATION.

He is involved in the start up scene as a founder, investor and advisor. He currently runs a small boutique Design and Innovation agency called Roshambo and is the Entrepreneur in Residence at Victoria University which keeps him close to large public corporate challenges as well as small business puzzles.

Starting in the late 90's and continuing for over a decade, TV - Music - Movies - Newspapers - Magazines - Books and other Media Industry players endured a level of disruption and change that had not been seen since the industrial revolution a few centuries earlier. It’s very likely that your industry and business is muscling through similar challenges right now.

Let Gus take you behind the scenes to understand what companies did right and wrong during these decades of unparalleled change. The lessons he shares can be applied to all modern business and individuals facing the digital revolution and the relentless pace of technology.

He is candid and full of energy. He will make you laugh hard and equally think deeply about the puzzles of running a business, irrespective of size, in our current ever changing world. His common sense will disarm you and his practical approach will get you moving on Monday first thing!

RAISED IN THE ARGENTINEAN PATAGONIA, GUS KNEW FROM THE AGE OF EIGHT THAT HE WAS GOING TO TRAVEL THE WORLD EVEN THOUGH HE DID NOT KNOW HOW TO MAKE THAT DREAM A REALITY.

Gus earned a scholarship at 17 that lead him to the other side of the world in Byron Bay. When he returned home, determined to carry on his mission to travel, Gus journeyed through South America without spending a cent. Meeting other travellers along the way he discussed amazing journeys and travel guidebook improvements he would share with anyone that would listen.

Eventually, he returned to Australia working in various jobs when he stumbled upon an opportunity with a travel company and he was fated to apply. His lack of experience was no deterrent and against the odds he secured a designer role at Lonely Planet. As far as Gus was concerned, he had landed his dream job, but it was just the beginning.

Fast forward to 2014; Gus completed an MBA, had spent countless hours on planes, progressed through a number of different roles within Lonely Planet and eventually lead the company globally. The company went from books dominating the world of travel information to the internet and a mobile revolution few saw coming.

Gus is a big thinker who doesn’t let ‘life’s hurdles’ get in the way of big solutions. His knowledge and expertise in transformation and digital innovation is genuinely impressive, as he teaches his audience how to navigate the struggles and successes that even the biggest brands in the world experience.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Gus Balbontin and other top speakers and celebrities.

Gus Balbontin Speaking Topics

Operations

A presentation focused on breaking down long-standing systems and developing flexible operation models that provide the freedom and autonomy we need to tackle the ever-changing future. Is the way we structure ourselves the best way to serve our customer? Do we spend more time doing 5 years plans than focusing on our ability to adapt?

Travel Talk

An after dinner presentation full of travel stories – from contrabanding goods across south American borders, to doing business naked in Finland to drinking unreasonable amounts of rice wine in China. Stories will get the audience talking about their own experiences travelling and sharing with each other what often are some of the happiest memories we have. Puts the audience in a good mood!

Customer

A presentation focused on developing products and services to fix customer problems rather than business problems. How do we stimulate the entire workforce to focus on fixing customer problems? How do we empower everyone from finance to marketing? How do we go from just ideas and conversations to action and experiments? What should my Innovation Portfolio look like to ensure the longevity of my business?

Team

A presentation focused on building high performing teams and cultures able to deal with disruption and succeed against the odds. How to treat people like adults and give them the necessary autonomy? How do we outperform our competition? How do we get the most from this ever-changing workforce? What is the future of work as millennial and centennials enter the market and companies operate globally?

Adapt

A presentation focused on the lessons learnt from decades of market disruption and business transformation in the Media industries. The presentation is relevant to all size businesses from all industries, private and public as it focuses on simple yet powerful concepts of change, adaptability, transformation and innovation. It applies to individuals and teams at all levels, from reception to the executive team and boards. How do we survive and thrive in this ever-changing market?

Gus Balbontin Videos

Gus Balbontin - ADAPT - Innovation Speaker - YouTube
Gus Balbontin Talks on How to Survive Organizational Change and ...
Gus Balbontin Motivational Speaker - YouTube

How do I book Gus Balbontin to speak at my event?

Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Gus Balbontin for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Gus Balbontin, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Gus Balbontin or any other speaker of your choice.

How much does it cost to book Gus Balbontin for a speaking engagement?

Speaking fees for Gus Balbontin, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Gus Balbontin are $30,000 - $50,000 for live events and $20,000 - $30,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Gus Balbontin, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

What topics does Gus Balbontin speak about?

Gus Balbontin is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Personal Growth, Human Resources, Teamwork & Teambuilding, Customer Service, Travel, Business Leadership, Business Growth, Business and Innovation.

Who is the agent for Gus Balbontin?

AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Gus Balbontin for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Gus Balbontin for your next private or corporate function.

What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Gus Balbontin or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.

Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.


Gus Balbontin is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Personal Growth, Human Resources and Teamwork & Teambuilding. The estimated speaking fee range to book Gus Balbontin for live events is $30,000 - $50,000, and for virtual events $20,000 - $30,000. Gus Balbontin can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Adrian Gostick, Johnny Cupcakes and Apollo Robbins. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Gus Balbontin for an upcoming event.

Gus Balbontin Speaking Topics

  • Operations

    A presentation focused on breaking down long-standing systems and developing flexible operation models that provide the freedom and autonomy we need to tackle the ever-changing future. Is the way we structure ourselves the best way to serve our customer? Do we spend more time doing 5 years plans than focusing on our ability to adapt?

  • Travel Talk

    An after dinner presentation full of travel stories – from contrabanding goods across south American borders, to doing business naked in Finland to drinking unreasonable amounts of rice wine in China. Stories will get the audience talking about their own experiences travelling and sharing with each other what often are some of the happiest memories we have. Puts the audience in a good mood!

  • Customer

    A presentation focused on developing products and services to fix customer problems rather than business problems. How do we stimulate the entire workforce to focus on fixing customer problems? How do we empower everyone from finance to marketing? How do we go from just ideas and conversations to action and experiments? What should my Innovation Portfolio look like to ensure the longevity of my business?

  • Team

    A presentation focused on building high performing teams and cultures able to deal with disruption and succeed against the odds. How to treat people like adults and give them the necessary autonomy? How do we outperform our competition? How do we get the most from this ever-changing workforce? What is the future of work as millennial and centennials enter the market and companies operate globally?

  • Adapt

    A presentation focused on the lessons learnt from decades of market disruption and business transformation in the Media industries. The presentation is relevant to all size businesses from all industries, private and public as it focuses on simple yet powerful concepts of change, adaptability, transformation and innovation. It applies to individuals and teams at all levels, from reception to the executive team and boards. How do we survive and thrive in this ever-changing market?

Gus Balbontin Videos

Gus Balbontin - ADAPT - Innovation Speaker - YouTube
Gus Balbontin Talks on How to Survive Organizational Change and ...
Gus Balbontin Motivational Speaker - YouTube
TOC 2011: Gus Balbontin, "From Gutenberg to Zuckerberg "Lonely ...
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GUS BALBONTIN

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