Beyond Growth: Rethinking Finance in a Full World with Matt Orsagh

In this thought-provoking episode of Future of Finance, host Georges Dyer sits down with Matt Orsagh, co-founder of the Arketa Institute and former Senior Director at the CFA Institute, to explore the emerging frontier of ecological economics and the imperative of moving beyond traditional growth-based economic models. Drawing on decades of experience in finance and sustainability, Matt outlines the vision behind Arketa’s mission: reimagining finance within planetary boundaries and transitioning to a post-growth economy that prioritizes well-being, community, and environmental limits. The conversation explores the shortcomings of GDP as a success metric for economic success, the flaws of neoclassical economic models, the promise of policies like universal basic income and the four-day workweek, and the practical implications for finance professionals. With urgency and clarity, Matt argues for a transformation not just in our financial systems, but in our cultural definitions of prosperity and purpose.

Episode resources (links to books, articles, organization mentioned in the episode)

Keywords

Post-Growth Finance, Ecological Economics, Sustainability, Planetary Boundaries, ESG Investing, Degrowth, Community Wealth, Systemic Risk, Finance Reform, Arketa Institute