change that works
people-centred solutions for successful organisational transitions
the 3 most critical challenges change leaders face:
resistance to change:
pushback or silent resistance often drains time and energy as leaders address the core question: “What’s in it for me?”
cultural misalignment:
when organisations merge or expand different cultures collide — national, professional, generational. "Culture eats Strategy for Breakfast
stakeholder engagement:
a lack of alignment among key stakeholders leads to mixed
messages and conflicting priorities, obstructing change efforts.
"At best, these challenges slow things down. At worst, they stifle innovation, hinder business growth, and consume senior management's time and energy."
in my daily work with change leaders, one recurring theme stands out:
the pressure of leading change
leaders managing change often encounter common challenges:
limited time and resources:
change initiatives are often added “on top” of daily responsibilities, leaving leaders stretched thin and without adequate support.
reputational risks:
critical change projects place leaders in the spotlight, exposing them to scrutiny and potential reputational harm if things go wrong.
momentum frustration:
when well-designed plans fail to deliver the expected results, the mounting pressure can be both discouraging and overwhelming.
post merger integration
new strategy implementation
culture transformation
breaking silos
hi, I’m luca fornari
I partner with leaders navigating mergers, acquisitions, strategic shifts and cultural transformations — especially where different cultures, mindsets and identities need to find common ground.
Over the past 15 years I've developed an approach that accelerates change by making it participatory — engaging the people involved so that transformation sticks and delivers lasting results. My approach is rooted in a simple conviction: every external change requires an internal one. Before processes and timelines, I focus on what's happening between people — the resistance, the misalignment, the unspoken tensions that derail even the best strategies. I create the conditions for teams to address these dynamics directly and make shared decisions. Growing up between Italian and Irish cultures in East Africa gave me an early education in navigating difference. That experience shaped everything I do — from coaching international teams through cultural barriers to helping post-merger organisations find a shared identity and purpose.
qualifications and publications
I continuously invest in my professional development through advanced training and supervision. Main qualifications: - MA in Intercultural approach to social management - Intercultural Development Research Institute - Provisional Trainer and Supervisor in Transactional Analysis (PTSTA-O) - Executive Coach (PCC-ICF) - Change Management Practitioner (PROSCI) I adhere to the ethical guidelines of the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and of the European Association of Transactional Analysis (EATA). Recent publications: - Fornari L. (2023) “Systemic Resilience: principles and practices” in IAT Journal, n7 - Bertolini B., Fornari L. (2018) “Articulating Complexity in the Contractual Process” in “Quaderni di Psicologia Analisi Transazionale e Scienze Umane” n.68/69 - Fornari L., (2015) “Deadlocked Organisations. Cultural turbulences: organisational Mergers and Acquisitions” in “Quaderni di Psicologia Analisi Transazionale e Scienze Umane” n.63 - Fornari L., Messori G. (2013) “Innovation through a strategic use of diversity: Guidelines and Good practices of Diversity management”, Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano. - Fornari L. (2012), “A dynamic approach to Diversity Management”, in Giovannini D., Vezzali L. (a cura di), Lavorare insieme. Imprese cooperative, climi lavorativi e immigrazione, Guerini e Associati, Milano.
frequently asked questions
A global business unit spanning Italy, UK, China, US and Brazil — 4,000 people across four continents. I led the change workstream through a complex integration designed to complete the acquisition without losing competitiveness along the way.
post-merger cultural integration
Three competing plants, 1,300 people, a board-mandated transformation. Over 18 months I guided them from rivalry to collaboration: silos were broken, vertical roles became cross-plant, and a shared team identity emerged across the whole organisation.
3 plants working as one
A Spanish-British sales team in the insurance sector, struggling to align. In 6 sessions they moved from cultural friction to a jointly defined and executed sales strategy — winning a must-win battle together.
intercultural team development
Critical survey results prompted a pharmaceutical leadership team to try something different: a bottom-up approach. Associates identified low-value processes, simplified them, and started working across functions — leading to measurable improvements in the following survey.
customer centricity
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