Almendra
Merle Becker and Bernard Lecuivre speak with leaders from politics, science, culture, and civil society about how real change happens across Europe. Not in soundbites — in depth.
A podcast for people who take responsibility seriouslyConversations that go beyond the headline
Most public debates on Europe's future happen in soundbites. Almendra takes the opposite approach. Each episode is a long-form conversation with someone actively shaping change — as a researcher, a politician, a cultural figure, or a civic leader.
The question we return to, every time: what does real impact look like? How is it built, measured, and sustained? And how do we govern transformation at every level without losing the values that make it worth doing?
Past guests have included MEPs, mayors, scientists, a Scorpions rock musician, and activists working at the intersection of education, digital sovereignty, and democratic renewal across Europe.
"The question we return to, every time: what does real impact look like — and how do we build it without losing our values?"Merle Becker & Bernard Lecuivre
What we talk about
The questions that don't fit into a panel — explored with the people closest to them.
Meet the hosts
Journalistic rigour and transformation expertise — for conversations that go somewhere.
Merle Becker
Moderator · Speaking Coach · BrusselsMerle is a multilingual moderator and speaking coach based in Brussels. She moderates high-level events at the European Commission, the European Parliament, and major European conferences — in German, English, and French.
She co-founded academic experience Worldwide in 2013, a programme that grew into a national movement and received the Frankfurt Citizens' Award and the national Prize for Democracy and Tolerance. She is the founder of Merle.Community, a Brussels-based speaker agency and coaching practice.
merle.communityBernard Lecuivre
Transformation Expert · BrusselsBernard is a Belgian transformation consultant with over 15 years of experience leading complex change programmes across healthcare, technology, and the humanitarian sector.
His work centres on helping organisations align people, processes, and purpose — with a focus on trust-centred leadership and human-centred digital transitions. He is the founder of Coeos Transformation.
coeostransformation.euStay close to the conversation
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