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We are passionate about helping

you build a change capable

organisation

Change Synergy (formerly Changefirst Australia) is a change management consulting and training firm that helps clients build the necessary change capability and capacity to realise the expected benefits from business critical change initiatives. We are a single resource for equipping organisations to not only survive but thrive in an environment of incessant change.

In Australia & New Zealand, Change Synergy works with some of the region's most progressive companies including AGL Energy, Asahi Beverages, Allianz Insurance, Australian Unity and World Vision to name a few.

We believe in creating synergy - truly 'change capable' organisations have specific characteristics that support organisational agility, enabling them to quickly embark on, and more successfully, implement change. Such organisations typically THINK differently - they focus and have an organisational mind-set & behaviours that are more conducive to change - and INVEST differently - they embed processes and develop capabilities so their people are equipped to act. Creating this synergy is at the very core of what we do.

The team at Change Synergy has a passion for transferring skills, tools and processes to enable organisations to build a sustainable capability to manage change. We are professional consultants, designers and facilitators with a global reach and extensive market experience and we are surrounded and supported by a world-class team of exclusive partners such as Changefirst (People-Centred Implementation (PCI®) methodology and e-change® platform) , Deakin University (Research) & Digital Playlab (Technology Solutions).

Change Synergy is a proud partner to the Change Management Institute (CMI) of Australia and New Zealand, and is the exclusive partner for Changefirst in Australia and New Zealand.

Meet the Founder

Ian Roughsedge

Founder & Managing Director

Ian Roughsedge is the Managing Director of Change Synergy.

At Change Synergy, we are passionate about equipping organisations to not only survive, but thrive, in an environment of incessant change.

Based on his 20 years of practical experience and research, Ian has found that change capable organisations have specific characteristics that support organisational agility, enabling them to quickly embark on, and more successfully, implement change.
Read More

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Ian Roughsedge

Valda

Valda Lavoipierre

Janelle

Janelle Leonard

Liz

Liz Foley

Andy

Andy Mengda Zhang

We work with you to increase YOUR
organisation's change capability.

Find out how

  • Ian Roughsedge

    Founder & Managing Director 

    Ian Roughsedge is the Managing Director and Founder of Change Synergy (Formerly Changefirst Australia).

    At Change Synergy, we are passionate about equipping organisations to not only survive, but thrive, in an environment of incessant change.

    Based on his 20 years of practical experience and research, Ian has found that change capable organisations have specific characteristics that support organisational agility, enabling them to quickly embark on, and more successfully, implement change. Such organisations THINK differently – they focus and have an organisational mind-set & behaviours that are more conducive to change – and INVEST differently – they embed processes and develop capabilities so their people are equipped to act.

    Ian has partnered with Deakin University to identify the characteristics of a truly change capable organization, and has co-authored a whitepaper and developed an evidence based model that can be used to reliably assess and develop organisational change capability.

    With the rate of change increasing dramatically in recent years and the global business environment becoming increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous, Ian is passionate about helping his clients build the capability and capacity required to implement change quickly, efficiently and successfully.

  • Ian Roughsedge

    Founder & Managing Director 

    Ian Roughsedge is the Managing Director and Founder of Change Synergy (Formerly Changefirst Australia).

    At Change Synergy, we are passionate about equipping organisations to not only survive, but thrive, in an environment of incessant change.

    Based on his 20 years of practical experience and research, Ian has found that change capable organisations have specific characteristics that support organisational agility, enabling them to quickly embark on, and more successfully, implement change. Such organisations THINK differently – they focus and have an organisational mind-set & behaviours that are more conducive to change – and INVEST differently – they embed processes and develop capabilities so their people are equipped to act.

    Ian has partnered with Deakin University to identify the characteristics of a truly change capable organization, and has co-authored a whitepaper and developed an evidence based model that can be used to reliably assess and develop organisational change capability.

    With the rate of change increasing dramatically in recent years and the global business environment becoming increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous, Ian is passionate about helping his clients build the capability and capacity required to implement change quickly, efficiently and successfully.

  • Valda Lavoipierre

    Consultant

     Valda has extensive and diverse senior HR experience with a leading global enterprise, an international management consultancy and the public sector.

    Her experience includes lead specialist roles in Talent & Resourcing, Learning & Development, Organisational Effectiveness, Business Partnering and Transformational Change across sales, marketing, finance and IT functions.

    Valda has partnered senior business leaders by creating strategies, plans and interventions to lead people through organisational change. Her achievements included designing and implementing an innovative Change and Culture model to support outsourcing various transactional functions to a third party company located in China and India.

    She has a reputation as an inspiring and motivational coach and facilitator for executives and teams. Valda champions the value of holistic learning to create positive personal and professional impact. Valda’s forte is to clearly link change strategies to business objectives and aspirations. She has demonstrated this through designing and delivering transformational change programs that have impact across functions and geographies. All these interventions share Valda’s philosophy of care for individuals and belief in their capabilities. As a result, each person she works with is motivated and energized to add extra discretionary effort towards achieving business outcomes.

  • Janelle Leonard

    Associate Director

    Janelle is Associate Director with Changefirst Australia and New Zealand. Janelle’s career spans 20 years in human resources across a wide range of industries including manufacturing, FMCG, banking, insurance, retail and hospitality industries.

    Janelle is an experienced strategic change manager with experience in organisational transformation, in particular working with executive teams on business turnaround, culture change and business transformation.

    Janelle is passionate about change management and believes that the key to successful strategic initiatives is through engaging people in change.

    Janelle holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree and an Post Graduate in Communications both from Monash University.

  • Liz Foley

    Liz has over 10 years experience working with organisations to optimise performance through the development and implementation of effective people and change strategies and programs. Her career spans consulting and corporate roles and she has worked across a variety of industries including professional and financial services, manufacturing and not for profit. A passionate facilitator, Liz also runs evidence-based development workshops on thinking and behaving flexibly.

  • Andy Mengda Zhang

    Consultant / Facilitator

    Andy has developed, validated, and deployed diagnostics on change capability, attitudes to change, and employee engagement across many industries, including government, education, financial services, not-for-profit, and international manufacturing. He has also trained behavioural assessors and run assessment and development centres for Master’s level organisational psychology students.

    As a researcher, Andy prides himself on ensuring statistical rigour and maintaining and strong evidence-base in his work; striving to continue expanding the body of knowledge in psychology and organisational change.