Meet the Speakers: Leonardo Rabelo

Leonardo Rabelo, CFO at Dole Asia Holdings

Session: Day 1 | Putting a Value on Purpose

How did you get here?

I didn’t plan this path — I followed where purpose pulled. I once thought I’d spend just a few years in the Agriculture/Fresh Fruit sector before moving on. But somewhere between banana, pineapple fields and boardrooms, I realized this wasn’t just a job — it was a front-row seat to how business can shape the future.

I stayed because I saw what happens when finance isn’t just about margins, but about meaning. What started as a job became a calling: to bridge sustainability with strategy and ensure that business serves both people and planet. That’s what brought me to this stage — a belief that finance, when guided by purpose, can be one of the most powerful forces for good.

How would you describe your relationship to purpose and values?

Purpose and values aren’t just part of my professional toolkit — they are my foundation. When purpose is personal, it shapes every decision — from how we lead teams to how we calculate value. My relationship to purpose is this: it must be visible in my numbers, audible in my voice, and tangible in the legacy we leave behind.

For those who don't know your organisation, can you give us the elevator pitch?

Dole is one of the world’s largest and most trusted producers of high-quality fresh fruits and fruit- or plant-forward food solutions — but we are more than a fruit company. We are a movement. With “Sunshine for All” as our North Star, we are on a mission to deliver nutrition sustainably, reduce fruit loss to near zero, and regenerate the ecosystems that feed us. From the farms of Mindanao, Philippines to markets across Asia and the world, we don’t just grow fruit — we cultivate futures.

What’s the biggest sustainability myth that needs busting?

That sustainability is expensive, slow, or optional. That’s outdated thinking. The truth? Sustainability is speed and scale — when done right. It drives innovation, opens new markets, de-risks operations, and builds the kind of brand trust you can’t buy.

The myth is that it’s a side project. The reality is: it is the business model of the future. The myth is that sustainability is charity. The reality is: it’s strategy.

If you could sit down with one global leader to discuss the state of the world, who would it be and why?

I’d choose Kristalina Georgieva of the IMF. Because if we want a future that’s fair, we need to reimagine the systems that finance it. I’d love to explore how we can shift global capital flows to reward regeneration, not just extraction — and make sustainability the default investment, not the exception.

Economic systems shape our world — and if we want a future that is regenerative and inclusive, we need to rethink how capital flows, how risk is priced, and how sustainability becomes embedded in fiscal policy.

Sitting down with her would be a chance to co-create systems change at the macro level — where purpose can unlock a significant volume of funding in impact.

What is Aotearoa's sustainability superpower?

Aotearoa holds something the world desperately needs ancestral wisdom made visible. Its superpower lies in deep indigenous knowledge — kaitiakitanga, the guardianship of nature. Kaitiakitanga isn’t just a principle — it’s a worldview that sees land not as property, but as kin. That depth of stewardship, passed down through generations, teaches us to care for the Earth not just with science, but with soul.

While the world debates frameworks, Aotearoa embodies one: a living respect for the land, the water, and future generations. When modern sustainability meets ancestral stewardship, we get a model that the world can — and must — learn from.

What is a sustainability trend you love or hate right now?

I love that circularity is finally going mainstream — because the future belongs to those who can turn waste into wealth, and damage into design.

But I worry about “sustainability theater” — greenwashing disguised as transformation, glossy reports without action, or net-zero declarations with zero roadmap. We don’t need more noise. We need measurable progress and bold leadership willing to report not just the wins, but the hard truths — the kind that’s transparent, accountable, and real.

You're speaking at The Value of Purpose in May. Can you give us a sneak peek of what you'll be talking about?

In May, I’ll be diving into one of the most critical shifts in business thinking today: the evolution of purpose from a soft ideal to a hard value. At Dole, we’ve moved beyond seeing sustainability and purpose as a “cost center” — something to defend — and now fully embrace it as a value center — something to drive. In my talk, I’ll share how this shift is not just philosophical, but operational, measurable, and deeply transformative.

I’ll walk through how we’ve embedded purpose into our financial models — from turning 99% of fruit loss into value, to launching Agritech innovations that serve both people and planet. We blend impact metrics with financial KPIs, because we believe success isn’t just about quarterly earnings — it’s about generational impact. And most importantly, I’ll challenge us all to treat sustainability like capital — to manage it, invest in it, and measure its return with the same rigor we apply to revenue. Because when purpose is done right, it doesn’t compete with profit. It creates it.

What are you most excited about for this conference?

What excites me most is the energy — the collective brilliance of changemakers who don’t just want to improve the world, but to reimagine it. This isn’t just a gathering of like-minded professionals. It’s a crossroads for leaders who are willing to ask harder questions, challenge old models, and build new systems rooted in shared values. I’m excited to be in a space where purpose isn’t a buzzword — it’s a blueprint. Where we move from intent to integration. And where finance, innovation, and sustainability don’t sit in silos — they collaborate as a single force for transformation.

And especially in Aotearoa — a land that lives and breathes kaitiakitanga — I’m inspired by the opportunity to learn from indigenous wisdom that sees nature not as a resource, but as kin. That mindset is not only powerful — it’s essential for the future we all want to build. More than anything, I’m excited to co-create — to exchange tools, share breakthroughs, and leave more courageous than we came. Because together, we’re not just talking about the value of purpose. We’re proving it.