What would it mean when capitalism is redesigned to work like a living system? In his book Regenerative Economics economist, investor and author John Fullerton explains why today’s economic model is failing and reveals eight principles for an economy that can foster resilience, justice and health for people and planet. Together with Prof. Dirk Schoenmaker, Femke Schootstra from Rethinking Economics and the audience we discuss how these principles can move from theory to practice.
About the speakers
John Fullerton is an unconventional economist, writer, educator, and impact investor widely considered the architect of Regenerative Economics. He is the founder of Capital Institute, dedicated to the bold reimagination of economics and finance in service to life, and the author of Regenerative Economics: Revolutionary Thinking for a World in Crisis (New Society Publishers, 2025). After a 20-year career on Wall Street, where he was a Managing Director of JPMorgan, John walked away in 2001 with no clear plan but many pressing questions — a decision that led, after encountering the work of Dana Meadows and witnessing 9/11 firsthand, to the founding of Capital Institute in 2010. His courses in Regenerative Economics and Regenerative Finance have since reached more than 2,500 alumni across 81 countries. He is a member of the Club of Rome and was featured alongside James Lovelock in the 2021 award-winning documentary Going Circular.
Dirk Schoenmaker is Professor of Finance at the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University Rotterdam. His research and teaching focus on the areas of sustainable finance, wellbeing economics, central banking and European financial integration. He is regular speaker at academic and professional conferences. Dirk is also a Research Fellow at the Centre for European Policy Research (CEPR) and cochair of the Sustainable Finance Lab.
Femke Schootstra is economist at Our New Economy and Board member of Rethinking Economics NL. In these organisations she works on transforming economic thinking and economics education. Both the think tank Our New Economy and Rethinking Economics envision economics as pluralist, real-world, value-conscious and open to other disciplines, for an economy that is more just and in support of life. Her interests lie in post-growth thinking and the challenge of growth imperatives, democratising the economy, the financial system and debt, decolonising economics and political philosophy.
