André Almeida Santos is an economist, investor, and systems thinker whose work explores how finance, leadership, and purpose can shape a more sustainable and humane economy.

His career spans over two decades across investment, academia, and entrepeneurship — always guided by a deep commitment to responsibility and transformation. Early in his journey, André experimented with entrepreneurship through several small ventures, testing how business could become a force for inclusion and community building. This path led him later to a decade-long serving poverty reduction and sustainable development in Africa, with the African Development Bank. In between he founded DAMA, a social enterprise for women’s empowerment

A Fellow at the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard Kennedy School, André has long been engaged in bridging inner and outer dimensions of change — drawing on adaptive leadership practices to help individuals and systems navigate complexity, mobilizing the Inner Development Goals local community. As part of the BMW Foundation Responsible Leaders Network, he continues to collaborate globally with change-makers seeking to align economic value with social and ecological well-being.

His dedicated work around the ocean and the blue economy reflects a lifelong fascination with our interdependence with natural systems. Through research, public speaking, and investment, he advocates for a regenerative approach to ocean innovation that balances technological advancement with stewardship and resilience.

Today, as Partner at Indico Capital Partners, André leads the firm’s Sustainability & Impact strategy and its investments in the Blue Economy, integrating years of learning into actionable, purpose-driven capital deployment.

Across all these endeavors, his focus remains the same: to empower people and enable their dreams with capital in ways that expand possibility — and to help build the leadership our future demands.