Slowing down to accelerate

Slowing Down to Accelerate is a compelling journey into the heart of complex system transitions. Why do global food and financial systems remain unbalanced, and what can we do about it? This book argues that true transformation begins not by speeding up, but by slowing down. Inspired by personal experiences in Ethiopia and beyond, author Corné de Louw shares seven powerful insights from his career in banking, dedicated to creating sustainable change. With a unique blend of storytelling, systems thinking, and real-world cases, this book offers fresh perspectives on how to reconnect people, ideas, and structures. From regenerative agriculture to financial innovation, it shows how slowing down can help us see invisible patterns, heal broken connections, and spark genuine progress. Perfect for changemakers, thinkers, and doers in search of clarity, direction, and impact. Corné de Louw is an experienced systems thinker and change facilitator who has worked in over twenty countries in the past fourteen years — from Chile to Mongolia and from Vietnam to Zimbabwe. Ethiopia became his second home, a country that taught him how opposites can coexist and how connection is the key to sustainable change. With a background in the banking sector and a deep commitment to food and financial systems, he developed a unique perspective on system transitions. He has worked closely with farmers, banks, and governments on projects involving financial inclusion, sustainable agriculture, and climate adaptation. His strength lies in bridging seemingly opposing worlds — between people and systems, between local and global, between thought and action.