With a career spanning decades in large-scale entertainment, Sylvain Gauthier has redefined the boundaries of live performance and creative industries.

As an executive producer, he has played a pivotal role in some of the world’s most renowned productions, including Cirque du Soleil’s groundbreaking ‘Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour’, ‘the steampunk Marvel Kurios: Cabinet of Curiosities’, and the cinematic spectacle Iris, among many others.

His collaboration with Franco Dragone Entertainment Group brought to life iconic Asian productions like ‘The Han Show’, ‘The Dai Show’, and Macau’s legendary ‘The House of Dancing Water’.

Beyond the stage, Sylvain’s expertise extends to television and film, with contributions to the crime drama ‘Bad Blood’ and the James Bond blockbuster ‘No Time to Die’. A recognized thought leader, he shares his insights at international conferences, speaking in Las Vegas, Dubai, Hong Kong, Paris, Brazil, and across Canada. With over a decade of experience in China, he has worked with prestigious organizations such as the Beijing Olympic Committee and Formula One World Championship, solidifying his status as a global force in entertainment production.

Sylvain also teaches at McGill University, earning the Outstanding Teaching Award in 2021 and 2022. A certified P.Eng, MBA, and PMP, he won the PMI Project of the Year Award in 2014 for transforming Cirque du Soleil’s costume workshop.

Entertainment projects are quite different then definite content project. When you work on a construction , a new product , a process improvement or anything called definite, you work with a solution ( a plan, a drawing, a design etc… ) you develop your project plan, move to execution and when there is changes you process it using a change control management. In entertainment, there is a story or a concept that evolve as you are creating it. Nothing is frozen and changes are coming every days and sometimes every hours. Plans are there to guide and communicate but not necessary to manage each activities or tasks. Managing an entertainment project require a lot more additional skills.

Which project in your career has been the most surprising in terms of decisions you had to make, and why?

Entertainment projects in China ( live shows , events etc..) have another dimensions, the culture differences. Decisions that are perfectly acceptable in my country or other part of the world might not be possible in High culture country like China.

What is the most unusual challenge you’ve faced working in different countries? How did cultural differences influence your approach to project management?

Dealing with different cultures in terms of what is acceptable and what is not is definitely a challenge that require you to be educated by local people. For example, it is not acceptable for a project manager to go talk directly to a director in an organization in Japan. You need to follow the hierarchie. While in Canada , it is what we favored , go talk directly to the people about the problem. Unusal challenges encountered : currency fluctuations affecting budget, barriers ( language, visas, level of competency, motivation etc..)

What qualities and skills do you think are necessary to be a successful project manager in the creative industries?

Communication is a must 90 % of your time will be to exchange with stakeholders ( your team, functional leader, committee, customer, suppliers). Dealing with conflicts. Leadership to maintain motivation ( = productivity) , fundamental knowledge of project management .

What role do modern technologies play in project management, and how have they changed your approach to designing and implementing projects?

Technologies are there to support you not the other way around. You don’t manage projects based on what the technology can do , you adapt the technology as simple as possible to be able to do what you want to do. The venue of AI is definitely changing the game as we can produce deliverables a lot faster. For example : a movie script could be written with a team of 3 people over 1 year , now with AI , you can generate many version using machine learning tools with one person in a matter of days. Big change.

What are some of your most memorable experiences working with large international teams that you would highlight as lessons for future generations of project managers?

One important aspect of working on international project , you need to be humble as you will work with very smart and competent people in their fields. I had the chance of working with the best show creator and director in the world , Franco Dragone on some of the most ambitious creative projects in the world and this was possible only if I was accepting to work in a different place in the world.

How do you handle situations when a project faces unexpected challenges? What approaches help you stay calm and lead the team effectively through such moments?

When you reach a certain level of projects, you will have unexpected challenges. Logistics, currency, inflations, resource quitting, cash flow etc… This is 100% sure .The way to deal with it is to keep your eyes on the initial objectives. Remind yourselves, why did we invest in this project ? What were the benefits we were looking for ? Does these benefits are still achievable even though we have all these challenges ( delay, cost overrun, non-satisfaction etc..) . If the initial reasons for investing in this project are still valid then we keep working at it. If not then we need to go back and reconsider if it is still worth it to spend resource on this.

How do you decide when to compromise between the strict requirements of a project and allowing creative freedom for the team? How do you find a balance between efficiency and creativity?

Creative freedom are welcome and encourage in every creative content project. However, it is also limited by constraints such as budget, timing and quality. A good idea is always welcome but needs to be assess versus these constraints to ensure that we still meeting the initial objectives or the values we were looking to generate with the project. Many times you are confronted with new creative ideas that could be amazing but , you cant afford them or you don’t have the time.

As a professor who teaches future leaders, you likely see many different learning styles. What have you learned over the years about the most effective methods of imparting knowledge in the complex field of project management?

The only way to really learn is to do it. You can spend thousands of hours in class, when you will get in the action , it will be different. I always tell students , look for opportunities to help non-profit organizations to help organizing events for members or fund raising, opportunities to get involve in election campaign with candidates by managing small but rapid project for events and communication, volunteer in your organizations to manage projects that are coming even if its not from your department. Build confidence and you will get better.

What changes do you expect in project management in the next 5-10 years, especially with the rise of digital technologies and globalization?

Definitely the road to AGI ( artificial general Intelligence ) target for 2028-29 where computers will be at the same cognitive level than human and even quickly surpassing us present a lot of opportunities. Project managers that will learn how to navigate in this upcoming disruption will be in high demand around the world.

In every professional’s career, there are moments when a project or situation offers a completely new perspective on their work. Were there any projects that radically changed your approach to project management?

Changed my approach , no. force me to adapt my approach to a new reality ( china, Japan etc..) yes. The next adaptation toward AGI is under going now.

In the profession of project management, success isn’t just about the projects; personal burnout is also a key concern. How do you maintain your inner balance and keep your passion for the field alive despite the workload and years of experience?

That is definitely a challenge to maintain a healthy lifestyle versus the pressure and crisis moment that you will encounter. Unless you are working in a country at war where failure could lead to a catastrophic situation for you, the worst case scenario is usually , you loose your job. Losing a job as a project manager is not that bad, usually it leads to other projects. So when you are in high level pressure, stress and anxiety mode, ask yourself , what I the worst that can happen? When you put that in perspective , you realize that the worst is not that disastrous.

If you could give advice to young professionals in project management, what would you recommend or what would you like to add from your own experience to help them at the beginning of their careers?

Don’t be afraid to jump in the pool and get involved in a project. Whatever you learn will help you build some confidence but nothing with boost your confidence as to work and deliver projects. It might not be perfrct, might even fail , we all fail projects , the importance is keep working at it. Learning how to swim happen when you jump in the pool and drink some water until legs and arms start carrying you.

As we conclude this insightful conversation, it’s clear that the world of large-scale entertainment and event production is shaped by individuals like Sylvain Gauthier, whose expertise and vision leave a lasting impact.
His career exemplifies the power of creativity, leadership, and global collaboration.

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