Meet Michel Zaidler: A Champion for Change and Curiosity in Brazil

By Noha Durrani

Born and raised in São Paulo, Michel Zaidler embodies the vibrant warmth of Brazil, a country celebrated for its joy and lively culture. While deeply aware of the challenges millions of Brazilians grapple with — inequality, poverty and lack of access to quality healthcare and education — these complex realities have driven Michel’s lifelong curiosity and passion, shaping his mission to create meaningful impact in the country he loves.

Heritage and Inspiration: A Family Legacy of Perseverance

Michel’s sense of purpose is deeply rooted in his family’s story. During World War II, his family fled Europe for Brazil and built their lives completely from scratch with no personal wealth, language skills or network. By traveling between small cities across Brazil and purchasing clothes and furniture wholesale to be sold in larger urban markets, over time, their grit and entrepreneurial spirit allowed them to create a modest but secure life for their family.

Growing up listening to these stories of survival left a deep impression on Michel and fueled his fascination with the power of day-to-day entrepreneurial journeys and how these can transform generations to come.

Building a Career on Curiosity and Impact

Michel’s curiosity was evident from an early age with interests spanning from business and fintech to philosophy, history and psychology. This wide-ranging curiosity pushed him towards investing and entrepreneurship where he could combine his passions and make a tangible difference. It was during his experience at one of Brazil’s largest and most prestigious universities that his entrepreneurial drive became more defined. At a time when student organizations primarily focused on financial markets, consulting and corporate businesses, Michel noticed a gap — and co-founded the first student entrepreneurship association. “Incentivizing the new generations to contribute to the entrepreneurial world was the key to establishing this community which proudly still exists today at the same university,” he says.

At just 19 years old, Michel began his professional journey with his first role in investing as an equity research analyst at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Covering infrastructure, transportation and capital goods, he analyzed macroeconomic forces, industry trends, and financial models. Within two years, Michel additionally expanded his experience in fixed income research covering multiple sectors such as mining, oil and gas, and food and beverage. However, his desire to shift closer to companies transitioned him to private equity at Península, an investment firm founded by Abilio Diniz, one of Brazil’s most renowned businessmen. “It was a great honor and surreal to work directly with someone that I used to see on the cover of magazines, read about and admire when I was a child,” Michel recalls.

“Since I was a child, I was always motivated by curiosity and a passion for learning. I have always been fascinated by the power of knowledge.”

Driving Change with Quona Capital

For the past three years, Michel has been an integral part of Quona Capital’s investment team, proudly serving as Quona’s “man on the ground” in Brazil.

Newly promoted from senior investment associate to Vice President at Quona, he is not only part of bridging and exchanging the knowledge and experiences to drive local impact but also deepen understanding of global financial ecosystems and ultimately connect the dots with the rest of Latin America and global markets. “Despite its socio-economic challenges, Brazil is one of the most innovative countries when it comes to regulation and fintech development,” Michel explains. He expands on examples like Pix, Brazil’s real-time payment system that enables instant transactions, along with Brazil’s advancement in open finance and the country’s Central Bank Digital Currency project, Drex. Amongst many other examples of innovation that also promote financial inclusion, these have led to many successes and opened the market for more competition.

In 2018, Quona Capital made a pivotal investment in Neon, a leading challenger bank in Brazil. Neon’s success highlighted the potential of leveraging technology to bring banking services to underserved populations, an approach that resonated deeply with Quona’s mission. Similarly, Quona extended its focus to Mexico, leading to its investment in challenger bank Klar. With Klar, Michel and the investment team saw an opportunity to replicate Neon’s success in Mexico’s distinct regulatory and socio-economic landscape.” “It feels like a luxury working in a market where all these opportunities exist,” Michel says, “and at the same time operate on the frontier of financial services innovation.”

Passion for People and Ideas

Michel’s love of curiosity and learning extends far beyond his professional life and shows up in his excitement about the explosion of AI, blockchain, and other transformative technologies. As a self-proclaimed nerd, Michel is happiest when studying new topics, whether they’re directly related to business or not. In his free time, he is often traveling, exploring both natural landscapes and bustling cities and immersing himself in new cultures and experiences. “I love spending time with people, talking about anything and everything,” he says. Whether discussing emerging technologies or diving into philosophical debates, Michel thrives on the energy of intellectual exchange.

With a deep love for his country and an unshakable commitment to impact, Michel continues to help shape a brighter, more inclusive future for Brazil and beyond.