DF - #21for21 - #19 - Roland van der Vorst

Listen to our inspiring new episode of the #21for21 podcast 🚀  🌏  with Roland van der Vorst, head of innovation of the international Dutch bank Rabobank and former professor of TU Delft and founder and director of Freedomlab.

Roland sat down with Marco at the Society 5.0 Festival in Amsterdam on October 12-13. He talked with Marco about transitions, looking at things differently, the role and responsibilities of corporates and academia in these transformational times, and of course what it means to be a creative voice and designerly thinker in a corporate environment.

🎤 I am not so interested in what is happening in the world, but more in how we deal with it. The fear we experience is most alarming, even more than the situations themselves.
🎤 Transition always starts in the mind, from within us. One of the biggest transitions in our mind is that we now start to understand that we as an individual are not the center of the universe. It all starts there, without it we can't change our behavior.
🎤 Technology is sold as being 'open', but at the same time technology forces us to fixate.
🎤 Don't mix up dreams with goals. Goals you evaluate based on results, dreams you evaluate based on your intention.
🎤 It is extremely exciting to be in a bank. Especially because is not going to change over night, but at the same it needs to change. That is my challenge, both from an intellectual and entrepreneurial perspective.
🎤 Dear Future, I am Ready to open up!

Listen to the episode below 👇 🎧

Roland's professional life is dominated by two activities: trying to understand things and to put things in motion. The first has lead to various books, columns and lectures. The second has put on the path of entrepreneurship. I have always worked at the crossroads of strategic thinking and creative thinking. The last 16 years I did so by advising clients in various industries on brand development. I have managed professional organizations and put my strategies into practice by being an entrepreneur in both Europe and Singapore.

TU Delft page including overview of books written by Roland
LinkedIn of Roland
Weekly columns by Roland
Profile of Roland by Rabobank