Saving the Ocean, the Planet and Our Future (with Jeroen van de Waal)

What does it mean to find your ikigai, and why might that be the key to saving our planet?

In this episode, Kai talks to Jeroen van de Waal, founder of OrcaNation, the BlueBeat Group and The Reef Company. Following a lively keynote session at British School Muscat, Jeroen reflects on his journey from corporate CEO to ocean conservationist and how he's on a mission to reconnect 8 billion people with nature.

In this episode, Kai and Jeroen discuss:

01:49 Jeroen’s mission (and how it started)
05:30 Unlocking a different way of thinking
07:14 A corporate social responsibility plan
10:38 Discovering ikigai during garden leave
12:30 How the BlueBeat Group was born
14:15 Why experiential learning matters more than ever
18:03 The power of purpose and how to find it
23:22 Why life skills are critical in the age of AI
25:55 Practical steps we can take to support ocean health
32:20 Quickfire student Q&A

About Our Guest
Jeroen van de Waal is the founder of the BlueBeat Group, OrcaNation, and The Reef Company. A former corporate CEO turned conservationist, Jeroen now leads global initiatives in ocean education, reef regeneration, and tech-for-good projects, including underwater satellite systems. His mission: to save the ocean, the planet, and ourselves.

Resources

• OrcaNation website
• The Ocean Cleanup – Boyan Slat website
• Chan Kim, W. and Mauborgne, R. (2005). Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make Competition Irrelevant. Harvard Business Review Press.
• Waal, J. (2024). Together We Can Turn Tides: A Manifesto to Save the Oceans, Planet & Ourselves. Rethink Press

Related episodes of the Educator’s Corner podcast:
Episode 14: Could this be more important than AI? With Leo Thompson
Episode 13: Why AI must not replace teachers with Priya Lakhani

Special Thanks
A big thank you to Brody, Joel, Hassen, Vrinda, Nour, and all the students who asked Jeroen questions during his visit to British School Muscat.

Credits
Hosted by Kai Vacher
Produced by Alfie B, Stuart Pardoe, Zoe Snell, and Marion James
A BSM BSS production
Post-production by Communicating for Impact