Bertrand Cesvet

Bertrand Cesvet serves as a Desautels Global Expert at McGill University's Desautels Faculty of Management, bringing extensive industry leadership experience to academia. A former chairman and senior partner at commercial creativity firm Sid Lee, he has shaped global marketing strategies for premier brands including Adidas, Red Bull, Cirque du Soleil, and Volkswagen.

His expertise spans:

• Strategic development of rich consumption experiences
• Creative marketing frameworks that drive word-of-mouth
• International brand management across diverse markets
• Experiential design and communications

Cesvet pioneered Sid Lee's expansion from a 10-person Montreal agency to an international powerhouse with offices in Amsterdam, Paris, Toronto, and Austin. Under his leadership, the agency earned prestigious accolades including Cannes Lions, One Show awards, and three consecutive Marketing Magazine Agency of the Year honors (2009-2011).

He is the author of the internationally recognized business book Conversation Capital: How to Create Stuff People Love to Talk About (2009), which established his strategic approach emphasizing that communication begins with the product. His framework has influenced experiential marketing practices globally.

Cesvet remains actively engaged as a speaker on management, creativity, and marketing evolution, while serving on the board of the ONE DROP Foundation dedicated to global clean water access.