Viola De Girolami

Viola De Girolami is a keynote speaker, founder, and former Executive Director with over 15 years’ experience leading transformation inside global organisations including Warner Bros., McDonald’s and Carphone Warehouse.

Her work focuses on helping leaders and organisations navigate complex transitions, and understand the dynamics that determine whether change succeeds or fails.

At Warner Bros., Viola served as Executive Director of Digital Marketing & Data, building the studio’s digital and data capability from the ground up and leading one of its most significant transformations. Her work helped reshape how global cultural phenomena, such as Dunkirk, Joker, and Barbie, were brought to audiences.

Earlier at McDonald’s, she worked during a defining period of brand reinvention following the crisis triggered by the documentary Super Size Me crisis, witnessing first-hand how one of the world’s most recognisable brands navigated change under intense public pressure.

What differentiates Viola is that she does not simply tell powerful transformation stories, and she does not simply share behavioural theory – she combines both. Having led change from the inside, she recognised recurring patterns in why transformation efforts succeed or fail. Strategy alone is rarely the issue. The real challenge lies beneath the surface: in leadership mindset, human behaviour, and the assumptions organisations struggle to question.

To deepen this perspective, she trained in Positive Psychology, integrating behavioural science and human performance into her work.

In her talks, Viola blends powerful transformation stories from brands everyone recognises, with psychological insights. She challenges leaders to ask better questions and equips them with practical tools to make change work in reality.

Today, she is the founder of a consultancy practice, advising leaders and organisations navigating strategic transition and performance challenges. Alongside her advisory work, she regularly delivers keynotes internationally at corporate events and conferences. A powerful mix of creativity, psychology, and strategy that reveals what it truly takes to make change stick.

Viola delivers keynotes internationally in English, Italian and Spanish.

SPEAKING TOPICS

Change & Innovation

Most organisations are not struggling to change – they are struggling to change well. Drawing on transformation inside Warner Bros. and McDonald’s, Viola reveals the hidden dynamics that determine whether change succeeds or fails and equips leaders with practical tools to drive meaningful transformation.

Digital Transformation

Digital transformation is not simply about technology. Drawing on her experience building Warner Bros.’ digital and data capability from the ground up, Viola explores the leadership mindset, behaviours and organisational alignment required to make digital change succeed.

How to Drive Successful Change (keynote & workshop)

Drawing on 15+ years leading transformation at McDonald’s and Warner Bros., Viola uses real-world stories to inspire the audience and introduce a practical framework. Participants then apply that framework directly to a current challenge or transition within their organisation.

Who it’s for?

Smaller groups of leaders (8-16 people) who are responsible for making change happen.

• Leadership and executive teams
• Transformation kick-offs
• Strategy sessions
• Teams navigating new technology, structures or ways of working

The problem it solves

A keynote can create energy and inspiration, but clients often wonder what people will actually do with those ideas the following day.This format bridges the gap between inspiration and application. It gives participants the perspective and energy of a keynote, followed by the time and facilitation needed to translate those insights into their own organisational reality.

The outcome

Participants leave with:

• A shared framework and language for navigating change
• Greater clarity about their current challenge
• A clearer understanding of what may be blocking progress
• Practical priorities and agreed next steps to drive transformation