MY STORY
MY STORY
The Person Behind the Work
I've never believed that life is meant to follow a straight line.
Looking back, the moments that have shaped me the most weren't the ones I had carefully planned. They were the decisions that felt uncertain at the time: leaving my home country, starting over in new places, embracing different cultures, and saying yes to opportunities that challenged me long before I felt ready.
Every place I've lived, every challenge I've embraced, and every person I've met has left its mark on who I am today. This is the story of how those experiences shaped not only my career, but the way I lead, think, and live.
I've never believed that life is meant to follow a straight line.
Looking back, the moments that have shaped me the most weren't the ones I had carefully planned. They were the decisions that felt uncertain at the time: leaving my home country, starting over in new places, embracing different cultures, and saying yes to opportunities that challenged me long before I felt ready.
Every place I've lived, every challenge I've embraced, and every person I've met has left its mark on who I am today. This is the story of how those experiences shaped not only my career, but the way I lead, think, and live.
It was only then that I realised I wasn't frustrated about the timing. I was afraid I wasn't ready enough.
I went back into the room and admitted exactly that. The senior manager sitting across from me smiled and said:
It was only then that I realised I wasn't frustrated about the timing. I was afraid I wasn't ready enough.
I went back into the room and admitted exactly that. The senior manager sitting across from me smiled and said:
I remember being around fourteen years old, sitting on a rock by the sea with my mum after a long summer day. We were talking about school, my future, and all the dreams I already had. Even then, I dreamed big. But I also wondered whether I was being realistic.
She stopped stroking my hair, turned my face towards me and said something I've never forgotten.
I remember being around fourteen years old, sitting on a rock by the sea with my mum after a long summer day.
We were talking about school, my future, and all the dreams I already had. Even then, I dreamed big. But I also wondered whether I was being realistic.
She stopped stroking my hair, turned my face towards me and said something I've never forgotten.
I accepted the role that day, but more importantly, I accepted a new way of looking at myself.
Looking back, I often think about those two conversations. One happened on a rock by the sea. The other in a meeting room thirteen years later. Different places, different people, different moments in my life.
Since then, whenever I find myself questioning whether I'm ready for the next challenge, I think back to those two conversations. They remind me that sometimes we're the last people to recognise our own potential.
I accepted the role that day, but more importantly, I accepted a new way of looking at myself.
Looking back, I often think about those two conversations. One happened on a rock by the sea. The other in a meeting room thirteen years later. Different places, different people, different moments in my life.
Since then, whenever I find myself questioning whether I'm ready for the next challenge, I think back to those two conversations. They remind me that sometimes we're the last people to recognise our own potential.
Believe Before You Are Ready
"Giulia, if I believe you can do it, with all my years of experience, why are you the one doubting yourself?"
"Giulia, if I believe you can do it, with all my years of experience, why are you the one doubting yourself?"
"Don't you actually want this?"
"Of course I do!"
"Don't you actually want this?"
"Of course I do!"
When I was twenty-seven, I found myself in a very different room, having a conversation that unexpectedly took me back to that moment.
I had been offered my first managerial role.
Looking back, I can laugh about my reaction. I wasn't excited. I was irritated.
Not because I didn't want the opportunity (of course I did!), but because, according to my plan, it wasn't supposed to happen yet. As any good Project Leader, I had carefully mapped out how I wanted my career to unfold, and becoming a manager was definitely part of that plan... just a few years later.
Apparently, nobody else must had seen my timeline.
My first instinct was to call my husband, Fabrizio. He listened patiently while I explained why the timing was all wrong. Then he interrupted me with one simple question.
When I was twenty-seven, I found myself in a very different room, having a conversation that unexpectedly took me back to that moment.
I had been offered my first managerial role.
Looking back, I can laugh about my reaction. I wasn't excited. I was irritated.
Not because I didn't want the opportunity (of course I did!), but because, according to my plan, it wasn't supposed to happen yet. As any good Project Leader, I had carefully mapped out how I wanted my career to unfold, and becoming a manager was definitely part of that plan... just a few years later.
Apparently, nobody else must had seen my timeline.
My first instinct was to call my husband, Fabrizio. He listened patiently while I explained why the timing was all wrong. Then he interrupted me with one simple question.
When I was twenty-seven, I found myself in a very different room, having a conversation that unexpectedly took me back to that moment.
I had been offered my first managerial role.
Looking back, I can laugh about my reaction. I wasn't excited. I was irritated.
Not because I didn't want the opportunity (of course I did!), but because, according to my plan, it wasn't supposed to happen yet. As any good Project Leader, I had carefully mapped out how I wanted my career to unfold, and becoming a manager was definitely part of that plan... just a few years later.
Apparently, nobody else must had seen my timeline.
My first instinct was to call my husband, Fabrizio. He listened patiently while I explained why the timing was all wrong. Then he interrupted me with one simple question.
I believed her. But it would take many more years before I truly understood what she meant.
I believed her. But it would take many more years before I truly understood what she meant.
"Giulia, remember this. You can become whoever you put your mind to becoming. And if it doesn't work out, what's the worst that can happen? You come back home, reset, and start again."
"Giulia, remember this. You can become whoever you put your mind to becoming. And if it doesn't work out, what's the worst that can happen? You come back home, reset, and start again."
Choosing the Unfamiliar
If you want something you've never had, you have to be willing to leave something behind. At least for a while.
Looking back, I wouldn't change that decision for anything. Everything I have today — my career, my friendships, the life I've built, and the person I've become — is the result of that choice and the work that followed.
Today, I feel incredibly fortunate to have lived, worked and travelled across different countries and cultures. Every experience has shaped the way I see the world. Sometimes I joke that I'm too Italian to be Swedish, and too Swedish to be Italian, and that after all these years there's probably a little Spanish, Chinese and Romanian in me too.
More than anything, those experiences have taught me to stay curious, embrace different perspectives and feel comfortable working with people whose backgrounds and ways of thinking are different from my own.
Looking back, every meaningful change in my life has required effort and hard work. There were moments of uncertainty, moments of loneliness and moments when progress felt slow.
But every time I stayed the course, the results were worth it.
If you want something you've never had, you have to be willing to leave something behind. At least for a while.
Looking back, I wouldn't change that decision for anything. Everything I have today — my career, my friendships, the life I've built, and the person I've become — is the result of that choice and the work that followed.
Today, I feel incredibly fortunate to have lived, worked and travelled across different countries and cultures. Every experience has shaped the way I see the world. Sometimes I joke that I'm too Italian to be Swedish, and too Swedish to be Italian, and that after all these years there's probably a little Spanish, Chinese and Romanian in me too.
More than anything, those experiences have taught me to stay curious, embrace different perspectives and feel comfortable working with people whose backgrounds and ways of thinking are different from my own.
Looking back, every meaningful change in my life has required effort and hard work. There were moments of uncertainty, moments of loneliness and moments when progress felt slow.
But every time I stayed the course, the results were worth it.
If you want something you've never had, you have to be willing to leave something behind. At least for a while.
Looking back, I wouldn't change that decision for anything. Everything I have today — my career, my friendships, the life I've built, and the person I've become — is the result of that choice and the work that followed.
Today, I feel incredibly fortunate to have lived, worked and travelled across different countries and cultures. Every experience has shaped the way I see the world. Sometimes I joke that I'm too Italian to be Swedish, and too Swedish to be Italian, and that after all these years there's probably a little Spanish, Chinese and Romanian in me too.
More than anything, those experiences have taught me to stay curious, embrace different perspectives and feel comfortable working with people whose backgrounds and ways of thinking are different from my own.
Looking back, every meaningful change in my life has required effort and hard work. There were moments of uncertainty, moments of loneliness and moments when progress felt slow.
But every time I stayed the course, the results were worth it.
That's why I don't choose safe paths. If something truly matters, you have to be willing to invest the time, energy and commitment it takes to make it happen.
That evening reminded me that every meaningful choice comes with trade-offs.
The unfamiliar doesn't become meaningful overnight. It becomes meaningful because you're willing to put in the work. And looking back, that work has always been worth it.
The unfamiliar doesn't become meaningful overnight. It becomes meaningful because you're willing to put in the work. And looking back, that work has always been worth it.
The unfamiliar doesn't become meaningful overnight. It becomes meaningful because you're willing to put in the work. And looking back, that work has always been worth it.
When I decided to move to Sweden, I bought a one-way ticket.
I was leaving behind my family, my friends and everything that felt familiar. I knew it wouldn't be easy, but I also knew that if I wanted to grow, I had to step outside the life I already knew.
I still remember opening the door to the small room that would become my first home. My suitcases barely fit inside.
When I decided to move to Sweden, I bought a one-way ticket.
I was leaving behind my family, my friends and everything that felt familiar. I knew it wouldn't be easy, but I also knew that if I wanted to grow, I had to step outside the life I already knew.
I still remember opening the door to the small room that would become my first home. My suitcases barely fit inside.
When I decided to move to Sweden, I bought a one-way ticket.
I was leaving behind my family, my friends and everything that felt familiar. I knew it wouldn't be easy, but I also knew that if I wanted to grow, I had to step outside the life I already knew.
I still remember opening the door to the small room that would become my first home. My suitcases barely fit inside.
That was the moment it became real.
That was the moment it became real.
That evening reminded me that every meaningful choice comes with trade-offs.
That's why I don't choose safe paths. If something truly matters, you have to be willing to invest the time, energy and commitment it takes to make it happen.
There was no turning back. This wasn't a semester abroad or a temporary adventure. I was starting a completely new chapter of my life.
Building a life from scratch takes time. You don't just change your address. You build new routines, new friendships and, slowly, a sense of belonging. There are moments when you question your decision, moments when you wonder if everything you've left behind was worth it.
One weekend, my family was celebrating my aunt's birthday in Italy. We spoke over a video call. Everyone was together around the same table, laughing and enjoying the evening.
I was sitting alone in Sweden.
There was no turning back. This wasn't a semester abroad or a temporary adventure. I was starting a completely new chapter of my life.
Building a life from scratch takes time. You don't just change your address. You build new routines, new friendships and, slowly, a sense of belonging. There are moments when you question your decision, moments when you wonder if everything you've left behind was worth it.
One weekend, my family was celebrating my aunt's birthday in Italy. We spoke over a video call. Everyone was together around the same table, laughing and enjoying the evening.
I was sitting alone in Sweden.
There was no turning back. This wasn't a semester abroad or a temporary adventure. I was starting a completely new chapter of my life.
Building a life from scratch takes time. You don't just change your address. You build new routines, new friendships and, slowly, a sense of belonging. There are moments when you question your decision, moments when you wonder if everything you've left behind was worth it.
One weekend, my family was celebrating my aunt's birthday in Italy. We spoke over a video call. Everyone was together around the same table, laughing and enjoying the evening.
I was sitting alone in Sweden.
That was the moment it became real.
I could tell you how we reduced our application landscape by 40%, certified ourselves as a Tier 1 supplier in just one year, or designed and implemented more than 50 new processes.
But those aren't the achievements I'm proudest of.
I'm proud that, while building a new company, we also built a new culture. We helped people navigate uncertainty, brought teams together across countries and functions, and created an organization that was resilient, collaborative and ready for what came next.
There were countless moments when everything seemed to happen at once. Deadlines were tight, priorities changed overnight and the pressure was real. Like everyone else, there were days when I went home exhausted.
I could tell you how we reduced our application landscape by 40%, certified ourselves as a Tier 1 supplier in just one year, or designed and implemented more than 50 new processes.
But those aren't the achievements I'm proudest of.
I'm proud that, while building a new company, we also built a new culture. We helped people navigate uncertainty, brought teams together across countries and functions, and created an organization that was resilient, collaborative and ready for what came next.
There were countless moments when everything seemed to happen at once. Deadlines were tight, priorities changed overnight and the pressure was real. Like everyone else, there were days when I went home exhausted.
What I learned is that people don't expect leaders to have all the answers. They expect them to stay grounded, create clarity and keep moving forward, especially when the path ahead isn't obvious.
What I learned is that people don't expect leaders to have all the answers. They expect them to stay grounded, create clarity and keep moving forward, especially when the path ahead isn't obvious.
That was my tipping point.
I stopped seeing leadership as delivering projects and started seeing it as helping people grow through change.
Today, sharing this message became my missions and is still the mindset I bring to every team, every client and every organization I work with.
That was my tipping point.
I stopped seeing leadership as delivering projects and started seeing it as helping people grow through change.
Today, sharing this message became my missions and is still the mindset I bring to every team, every client and every organization I work with.
I still smile when I think about that moment. The reality was that there wasn't a roadmap. We were about to build something that didn't exist before.
For the next two years, I worked across countries, functions and cultures to help shape a new organization. Every decision created new questions. We were learning, adapting and moving forward at the same time.
Looking back, what I remember most isn't the complexity of the transformation. It's what it taught me about leadership.
I still smile when I think about that moment. The reality was that there wasn't a roadmap. We were about to build something that didn't exist before.
For the next two years, I worked across countries, functions and cultures to help shape a new organization. Every decision created new questions. We were learning, adapting and moving forward at the same time.
Looking back, what I remember most isn't the complexity of the transformation. It's what it taught me about leadership.
Leadership isn't about having the right answers. It's about creating the conditions for people to find them together.
Building Something That Didn't Exist
I still smile when I think about that moment. The reality was that there wasn't a roadmap. We were about to build something that didn't exist before.
For the next two years, I worked across countries, functions and cultures to help shape a new organization. Every decision created new questions. We were learning, adapting and moving forward at the same time.
Looking back, what I remember most isn't the complexity of the transformation. It's what it taught me about leadership.
"This is the due diligence. Good luck."
The biggest turning point in my career didn't come with a promotion or a new title. It came with a conversation.
Some years ago a director asked me if I wanted to lead the engineering separation from Volvo Cars and help build a completely independent tier-1 supplier organization.
I said yes.
In my first day at work, he walked over to my desk, placed a huge stack of documents in front of me and said:
The biggest turning point in my career didn't come with a promotion or a new title. It came with a conversation.
Some years ago a director asked me if I wanted to lead the engineering separation from Volvo Cars and help build a completely independent tier-1 supplier organization.
I said yes.
In my first day at work, he walked over to my desk, placed a huge stack of documents in front of me and said:
"This is the due diligence. Good luck."
Leadership isn't about having the right answers. It's about creating the conditions for people to find them together.
What I learned is that people don't expect leaders to have all the answers. They expect them to stay grounded, create clarity and keep moving forward, especially when the path ahead isn't obvious.
"This is the due diligence. Good luck."
What Still Guides Me
Over the years, I have learned that successful leadership is not measured only by what gets delivered.
Projects have a beginning and an end. Systems can be implemented. Processes can be created. Targets can be achieved.
But in complex transformations, delivering the plan is only one part of the journey.
Over the years, I have learned that successful leadership is not measured only by what gets delivered.
Projects have a beginning and an end. Systems can be implemented. Processes can be created. Targets can be achieved.
But in complex transformations, delivering the plan is only one part of the journey.
A transformation cannot succeed if leaders do not know how to guide people through change.
Leadership is not about making every decision that people want. It is about making the right decisions while bringing people with you.
When everything around people is changing, leaders need to create clarity, build trust and help teams understand not only what is changing, but why it matters. That is what turns uncertainty into progress.
This belief has shaped the way I lead throughout my career.
I believe leadership requires honesty, humility and the courage to make decisions even when they are difficult or unpopular. It requires listening to different perspectives, staying grounded and balancing empathy with the responsibility to move forward.
When everything around people is changing, leaders need to create clarity, build trust and help teams understand not only what is changing, but why it matters. That is what turns uncertainty into progress.
This belief has shaped the way I lead throughout my career.
I believe leadership requires honesty, humility and the courage to make decisions even when they are difficult or unpopular. It requires listening to different perspectives, staying grounded and balancing empathy with the responsibility to move forward.
The moments I am most proud of are not only the results we delivered. They are the moments when I saw people step up, take ownership and realize they were capable of more than they initially believed.
For me, the true measure of a transformation is not only what is delivered at the end of the project. It is whether the organization is stronger, more confident and better equipped to continue moving forward afterwards.
This is what drives the work I do today: helping leaders navigate complexity, bring people with them through change and build organizations that are stronger because of the transformation they have experienced.
The moments I am most proud of are not only the results we delivered. They are the moments when I saw people step up, take ownership and realize they were capable of more than they initially believed.
For me, the true measure of a transformation is not only what is delivered at the end of the project. It is whether the organization is stronger, more confident and better equipped to continue moving forward afterwards.
This is what drives the work I do today: helping leaders navigate complexity, bring people with them through change and build organizations that are stronger because of the transformation they have experienced.
Leadership is not about making every decision that people want. It is about making the right decisions while bringing people with you.
Because extraordinary business results begin with leaders who can lead people through change.
Because extraordinary business results begin with leaders who can lead people through change.
A transformation cannot succeed if leaders do not know how to guide people through change.
The People Who Keep Me Grounded
Throughout my life, I have been fortunate to be surrounded by people who have supported me, challenged me and reminded me what truly matters.
I grew up in a close Italian family where curiosity, encouragement and connection were always part of everyday life. My family gave me the confidence to explore the world, follow my own path and believe that there was always more to discover.
Throughout my life, I have been fortunate to be surrounded by people who have supported me, challenged me and reminded me what truly matters.
I grew up in a close Italian family where curiosity, encouragement and connection were always part of everyday life. My family gave me the confidence to explore the world, follow my own path and believe that there was always more to discover.
Building an international career and leading complex transformations has been incredibly rewarding, but would not have been possible without strong support and recharging mechanism outside work.
Building an international career and leading complex transformations has been incredibly rewarding, but would not have been possible without strong support and recharging mechanism outside work.
The people around us shape who we become. They give us strength when things are difficult, perspective when things become overwhelming and remind us that no meaningful achievement is built alone.
The people around us shape who we become. They give us strength when things are difficult, perspective when things become overwhelming and remind us that no meaningful achievement is built alone.
During the most demanding periods, the people around me have been the ones who helped me keep perspective, recharge and continue moving forward.
Over the years, I have built meaningful relationships across different countries. Friends, colleagues and people who started as professional connections became a second family abroad. They have shared the challenges, the celebrations and the everyday moments that make a place feel like home.
My husband, Fabrizio, has been one of my strongest supporters throughout this journey. He has seen every side of it, not only the achievements and exciting opportunities, but also the difficult moments, the long days and the sacrifices behind them.
And then there are the simple moments that bring everything back into perspective: slow Sunday mornings with breakfast in bed, walks together, travelling the world to recharge, and quiet evenings at home with Isotta, our cat, reminding me to slow down and enjoy the present.
These moments are not separate from the work I do. They are what make it possible.
During the most demanding periods, the people around me have been the ones who helped me keep perspective, recharge and continue moving forward.
Over the years, I have built meaningful relationships across different countries. Friends, colleagues and people who started as professional connections became a second family abroad. They have shared the challenges, the celebrations and the everyday moments that make a place feel like home.
My husband, Fabrizio, has been one of my strongest supporters throughout this journey. He has seen every side of it, not only the achievements and exciting opportunities, but also the difficult moments, the long days and the sacrifices behind them.
And then there are the simple moments that bring everything back into perspective: slow Sunday mornings with breakfast in bed, walks together, travelling the world to recharge, and quiet evenings at home with Isotta, our cat, reminding me to slow down and enjoy the present.
These moments are not separate from the work I do. They are what make it possible.
Great Leadership Starts with a Conversation
Whether you're looking for a keynote speaker, leadership development, or support navigating organizational change, let's explore how we can help your people, and your business, perform at their best.
Whether you're looking for a keynote speaker, leadership development, or support navigating organizational change, let's explore how we can help your people, and your business, perform at their best.
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