Keynote
The signature talk on why AI commoditized competence and why trust becomes marketing's new advantage. Thirty, forty-five or sixty minutes, tailored to the event theme and audience.
Keynote speaking
AI commoditized competence. Trust is the only thing it cannot scale.
I speak to marketing leaders and executive teams about the one advantage artificial intelligence cannot generate for them. Ninety seconds of what that looks like on stage.
Speaker reel 2026. Featuring TEDxChiado (Lisbon), Marketing+ Conference (Cairo), NEXT Summit (Valletta) and DGT Innovation (Oeiras).
Read the speaker-reel transcript
AI didn't just democratize competence, it commoditized it. So if you think about it, AI made it faster, but trust made it believable. The future CMO sees things differently. He sees trust as something that is not the output, but that is the input. It's so important that the trust is built beforehand, so that when something goes wrong, your audience, your customers give you the benefit of the doubt. In a world where everything can be generated, trust cannot.
The question is, what do you want to be trusted for when everything else can be generated?
What organizers say
Booked by the people who had to answer for the programme.
Joeri's keynote on The CMO of the Future was insightful, inspiring and perfectly timed for today's marketing leaders.
Joeri delivered an impactful keynote at DGTLX25. Energetic, insightful and a perfect summary of where marketing and AI are heading.
Joeri brought such great energy to Worktugal. His talk on trust and AI really clicked with our audience. Smart, inspiring and full of real-world insights.
Signature keynote
The Future CMO: why trust becomes marketing's new advantage in the AI era.
AI did not just democratize competence. It commoditized it. Expertise can be generated, polish can be generated and a confident answer costs nothing to produce. What cannot be generated is the reason someone believes you. This talk is about designing for that reason on purpose.
What the room walks out with
After this talk, marketing leaders can identify where AI makes their brand interchangeable, define the trust their brand needs to earn and translate that into priorities for positioning, visibility and customer experience.
- Why AI commoditizes competence, and why credibility becomes the scarce resource
- Why trust has to be designed as an input, not measured as an output
- What happens when an AI system says something wrong in your name
- How the CMO evolves from campaign manager into trust architect and Chief Value Officer
- What you want to be trusted for, when everything else can be generated
Great insights and very professional delivery.
Mark Schaefer, bestselling author of Marketing Rebellion, Known and Belonging to the Brand
TEDxChiado, May 2026
The full talk: trust is the only thing AI cannot scale.
The reel shows the range. This shows the thinking, uncut, in front of a live audience.
Track record
Selected speaking and moderation engagements.
Conferences, leadership events and industry summits across Europe, the Middle East and North America.
The Future CMO, AI and trust
- Marketing+ Conference, Cairo Keynote 2024
- DGT Innovation, DGTLX25, Oeiras Keynote 2025
- TEDxChiado, Lisbon TEDx talk 2026
- NEXT Summit, Valletta Fireside chat 2026
- More Agencies Webinar on The Future CMO 2026
Other keynotes and talks
- BAM Marketing Congress, Brussels Keynote on Web3, NFTs and the metaverse 2023
- REMOTE Worktugal, Lisbon Ten-minute talk on trust and AI 2025
- Lisbon Founders Club, Lisbon Talk 2025
Web3 panel moderation
- Blockchain Futurist Conference, Toronto Moderator, main-stage panel for the main sponsor 2024
- Next Block Expo, Berlin Panel moderator 2023
- WOW Summit, Dubai Panel moderator 2023
- CODA, Porto Panel moderator 2025
- Caffeine AI, Web Summit side event, Lisbon Moderator, Web 4.0: Designed by AI 2025
Formats
More than a keynote slot.
Most speakers fill one gap in your programme. I can fill several, which usually makes the travel budget work harder for you.
AI marketing workshops and masterclasses
Hands-on sessions for marketing teams and leadership groups on AI, trust, positioning and AI visibility. Formats can run from ninety minutes to a half day.
Web3 and AI panel moderation
Moderation with pace, structure and a clear narrative, particularly for Web3, AI and marketing conversations.
Event podcast host
I host and record Web3 CMO Stories from conferences and events, including recordings at Web Summit. A live-audience format can be developed with the organizer.
Practical
What you need to know before you ask.
Everything a programme lead usually has to email for, answered here instead.
Based in
Sintra, near Lisbon, Portugal.
Travels to
Available internationally. Travel and accommodation for events outside Lisbon are agreed in advance.
Languages
Keynotes in English, Dutch and French. German and Portuguese for conversational settings such as panels, interviews and informal discussions.
Formats and length
Keynotes: 30, 45 or 60 minutes, depending on the programme. Workshops and masterclasses: 90 minutes to a half day. Panel moderation, fireside chats and event podcast recordings by programme.
Lead time
Most engagements are planned well in advance, but enquiries for nearer dates are welcome when preparation and travel allow.
Fees
Fees are scoped according to format, location and preparation. Paid engagements only.
Preparation
Each keynote starts with a briefing conversation and is tailored to the event theme, audience and industry, while keeping the core argument intact.
Technical
Detailed technical requirements are shared and coordinated in advance with the event team.
For a quick answer, include the event date, city, audience, desired format and indicative budget.
Speaker kit
Everything your programme team needs, without asking.
Copy the bio that fits your format. High-resolution photography for programmes and press is linked below.
Bio, short, 40 words
Joeri Billast is a Belgium-born Fractional CMO and AI Visibility Strategist based in Sintra, near Lisbon, and author of The Future CMO, endorsed by Philip Kotler. He spoke at TEDxChiado in 2026 on why trust is the only thing AI cannot scale.
Bio, medium, 100 words
Joeri Billast is a Fractional CMO and AI Visibility Strategist who advises founders and executive teams on marketing leadership in AI-driven markets. He is the author of The Future CMO, endorsed by Philip Kotler, and of The 5K Challenge for Solopreneurs, and a contributing author to books by Mark Schaefer and Joe Pulizzi. He hosts Web3 CMO Stories, a podcast in the top five percent globally with more than 300 episodes. Belgium-born and based in Sintra, near Lisbon, he has spoken at TEDxChiado, Marketing+ Conference in Cairo, NEXT Summit in Valletta and BAM Marketing Congress in Brussels, in English, Dutch and French.
Bio, long, 200 words
Joeri Billast is a Fractional CMO and AI Visibility Strategist. He works with founders and executive teams on brand positioning and marketing leadership in markets where artificial intelligence increasingly mediates how customers find, evaluate and choose brands.
He is the author of The Future CMO, endorsed by Philip Kotler, and of The 5K Challenge for Solopreneurs, and a contributing author to The Most Amazing Marketing Book Ever by Mark Schaefer and The Content Entrepreneur by Joe Pulizzi. He hosts Web3 CMO Stories, a podcast in the top five percent globally with more than 300 episodes and guests including Gary Vaynerchuk and Chris Do. He also created Sintra Synergies, a curated marketing and AI retreat in Portugal.
On stage his argument is consistent: artificial intelligence has commoditized competence, which makes trust the scarce resource and the only advantage that cannot be generated. He spoke at TEDxChiado in Lisbon in 2026, and has appeared at Marketing+ Conference in Cairo, NEXT Summit in Valletta, DGT Innovation in Oeiras and BAM Marketing Congress in Brussels. Belgium-born and based in Sintra, near Lisbon, he speaks in English, Dutch and French.
Photography, high resolution
- On stage in New York, close PNG, 1572 × 1010
- NEXT Summit, Valletta, fireside chat JPEG, 2048 × 1365
- On stage in New York, full length JPEG, 1600 × 1066
Book Joeri
I take on a limited number of stages each year and prepare each one properly.
For a quick answer, include the event date, city, audience, desired format and indicative budget.
Frequently asked
Questions from event organizers.
What does Joeri Billast speak about?
Marketing leadership in the age of artificial intelligence. His signature keynote argues that AI has commoditized competence, which makes trust the scarce resource and the real differentiator. It covers how the CMO role shifts from campaign manager to trust architect, what happens when AI misrepresents a brand and how organizations stay legible and citable in AI-mediated markets.
How long is a typical keynote by Joeri Billast?
Keynotes run 30, 45 or 60 minutes depending on the programme. Workshops and masterclasses run from 90 minutes to a half day. Panel moderation, fireside chats and event podcast recordings are scheduled by programme.
In which languages does Joeri Billast speak?
Keynotes in English, Dutch and French. German and Portuguese for conversational settings such as panels, interviews and informal discussions.
Where is Joeri Billast based and does he travel for events?
Joeri Billast is Belgium-born and based in Sintra, near Lisbon. He is available internationally, and travel and accommodation for events outside Lisbon are agreed in advance. Past stages include Lisbon, Brussels, Cairo, Valletta, Toronto, Berlin, Dubai and Porto.
Does Joeri Billast moderate panels and host podcasts at events?
Yes. He moderates panels, particularly on Web3, AI and marketing, and hosts and records the Web3 CMO Stories podcast from conferences and events. A live-audience recording format can be developed with the organizer.
How do I book Joeri Billast as a speaker?
Send the event date, city, audience, desired format and indicative budget through the contact form on joeribillast.com. Fees are scoped according to format, location and preparation, and Joeri takes paid engagements only.