Dario Lombardini, Organizational Change Management Specialist, F. Hoffmann-La Roche

In order to help current students and recent graduates to find their way in the working world, many of our alumni shared their career story. Here the story of Dario Lombardini, Organizational Change Management Specialist at F. Hoffmann-La Roche in Basel (CH). USI Degrees: Master in Management and Informatics, 2025 and Bachelor in Communication, 2022.

How did you start your career?

I started my career as a Communication Specialist in Lugano at PRC Sagl, where I worked on communication and media projects supporting the pharmaceutical company IBSA. This experience gave me my first hands-on exposure to professional communication in the healthcare and pharma sector.

Why did you choose a career at F. Hoffmann-La Roche? 

I chose to pursue a career at Roche because it operates at the intersection of healthcare innovation and digital transformation. The opportunity to work on AI-driven initiatives and organizational change was especially appealing to me, as it allows me to combine my background in communication with my interest in how new technologies are adopted within large organizations.

What is your current role/duties?

I currently work as an Organizational Change Management Specialist at Roche. I support the company’s AI program, contributing to initiatives related to the development of AI models and the adoption of generative AI tools across the organization. My responsibilities include shaping communication and adoption strategies, engaging stakeholders, and helping employees understand and effectively use these new technologies in their daily work.

In your opinion, what are the qualities necessary for a successful career at F. Hoffmann-La Roche?

In my opinion, a successful career at Roche requires a “polyglot” profile. By that I mean someone who can navigate digital change by speaking both the language of business and the language of technology. It’s important to understand how innovations like AI create value for the organization, but especially how they impact people, workflows, and adoption. The ability to connect these perspectives is key to driving meaningful transformation.

What positive aspects and qualities meant most to you during the study programme you attended?

What I appreciated most during my studies at USI (and during my exchange at the University of St. Gallen) was that the programme gave me the possibility to keep a broad, horizontal perspective across different areas like management, technology, and communication, while also allowing me to go deeper into the topics that mattered most to me. For example, I was able to focus more on digital transformation and AI, while still understanding how these topics connect to business strategy and organizations in practice.

What competences and skills acquired in your USI Study Program have been useful/are useful to your professional career?

During my programme at the Università della Svizzera italiana, one of the most useful things I developed was the ability to quickly switch perspectives between IT and management. The programme exposed me to both technical and business viewpoints, which trained me to understand how systems, data, and technologies connect with strategy, operations, and decision-making. This has been particularly useful in my professional role at Roche, where I often need to translate complex digital and AI-related topics into something that makes sense for different stakeholders across the organization.

What is your advice to USI students entering the job market?

My advice to students at the Università della Svizzera italiana entering the job market is to maintain a broad perspective and stay curious. University gives you structure and guidance on what to study, but once you start working, it becomes your responsibility to keep learning and shaping your own development. The environment changes quickly, especially with new technologies, so continuing to study, explore new topics, and actively manage your learning curve makes a big difference early in your career.