Today, we are happy to welcome Marcel Zuidam, CEO of Triodos Bank, one of Europe’s leading banks in sustainable finance. Before joining Triodos, Marcel held senior leadership roles across mainstream finance, including CEO positions at NN Bank and Delta Lloyd Bank, giving him a rare perspective on both conventional and regenerative models of capital. In this conversation, we explore what it really means to finance change and change finance, from the myths still embedded in mainstream markets to the deeper question of how capital can serve societies, ecosystems, and long-term resilience rather than short-term extraction.Key topics:- Why finance is never neutral and capital always takes sides.- How the financial system became extractive rather than useful.- Why transparency alone will not redirect capital toward impact.- The tension between urgency and patience in systems change.Episode Breakdown:Intro - 00:00:00Welcome - 00:01:27Origin & Perspective - 00:02:24Financing Change & Changing Finance - 00:05:47Systems Thinking & Leverage Points - 00:11:44Democratic Guidance & Incentives - 00:18:03The Myths of Mainstream Finance - 00:23:15What a Regenerative Financial System Could Look Like - 00:26:09Urgency vs Patience - 00:27:58Contrarian Thoughts - 00:29:02Flash Round - 00:30:15Follow us on: Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0Po2mXWyAelyE91jSa5flbApple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/alaqa/id1838909986https://linktr.ee/alaqapodcastDesigned & Hosted by Imène MaharziProduced by Taisa Echterhoff