The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of knowledge leader readiness within large companies operating in a changing environment. Design/methodology/approach: A conceptual framework emerged from an analysis of four large companies and a review of the knowledge management literature. Secondary research was conducted to compare the four large companies against our proposed framework. Findings: The conceptual model is a support to understand an organizations' reaction to external changes and the role of the knowledge leader's readiness in managing these changes and adjusting the knowledge management accordingly. From the analysis, it emerged that a knowledge leader's readiness plays a relevant role in a changing organizational environment due to his ability to acquire, handle and diffuse knowledge within the company. Practical implications: The study emphasizes the significance of internal knowledge in managing changes. Practitioners could use this framework as a conceptual guide for their daily challenges and to recruit future leaders. Originality/value: This study aims to contribute to the knowledge management literature by providing a practical model for organizations facing a changing environment. The originality of the model is the design of different managerial profiles that combine the leaders' disposition to knowledge and their ability to drive change.