Data Talks is a conversation series released every two weeks that proves data isn’t just for analysts, it’s the common language behind sporting triumphs, market breakthroughs, and social progress. Economist and storyteller Wolfgang Fengler sits down with world-class athletes, leading economists, founders, policymakers, and creative thinkers to unpack the numbers shaping their fields. Together, they translate charts into clear takeaways, challenge assumptions with evidence, and show how good data can turn bold ideas into practical action.
Join Data Talks Why do Chinese households start saving at just $8 a day, when in the US that threshold is closer to $60? And what would it take for China's 1.4 billion people to spend more? In this episode of Data Talks, we're joined by Dr. Bert Hofman, a leading expert on East Asia who spent decades at the World Bank and lived and worked in China, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Singapore. Bert first arrived in Beijing in 1992, when China's income was around $1,000 per person and the city st...
9 Jul 2026
From Algebra to Architecture
Join Data Talks From Algebra to Architecture, with Jim Ellis In this episode of Data Talks, we sit down with Jim Ellis, math teacher at the American International School of Vienna and author of "Educators as Designers," to explore how his background in architecture reshaped his approach to teaching math. Jim walks us through the parallels between architectural design and effective data-informed instruction, and how that lens has shaped a career built around curiosity and critical thinking. We...
19 Jun 2026
Payments are about People
Join Data Talks Payments Are About People: Innovation from the Digital South What does a journalist turned payments executive see that others miss? In this episode, Wolfgang Fengler sits down with Estelita Haas, Head of Product Markets and Business Intelligence at Ebanx, a fast-growing Brazilian fintech unicorn now operating in 25+ countries across Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Estelita shares how her background reporting from Brazil's overlooked regions shaped her conviction that the most...
2 Jun 2026
Trends before they Trend
Join Data Talks Can data predict the next big consumer trend? In this episode of Data Talks, Wolfgang Fengler speaks with Yarden Horwitz, Co-Founder of Spate, about the science of spotting trends before they go mainstream. Drawing on her experience at Google and building one of the fastest-growing trend intelligence platforms, Yarden explains how brands can use search, social, and behavioral data to understand what consumers want next. From beauty and wellness trends to generational shifts an...
9 Apr 2026
Make More Smiles
Join Data Talks In this episode of Data Talks, Wolfgang Fengler speaks with Ram Raghavan, senior leader at Colgate-Palmolive, about what it takes to build a globally trusted brand with purpose at its core. With nearly three decades at Colgate, Ram shares his journey from grassroots sales in India to leading global strategy, offering insights into consumer behavior, brand building, and the power of culture in sustaining long-term success. The conversation explores how Colgate balances global s...
25 Mar 2026
The World Economy at a Turning Point
Join Data Talks In this episode of Data Talks, Wolfgang Fengler sits down with Indermit Gill, Chief Economist of the World Bank, for a wide-ranging conversation on the forces reshaping the global economy. From the middle-income trap and India’s growth potential to Europe’s economic model, oil shocks, trade barriers, and the promise of AI, Indermit brings sharp insight to one of the biggest questions of our time: what will define the next era of global development? Together, they explore why s...
13 Mar 2026
The world is more equal than you think
Join Data Talks In this episode of Data Talks, World Data Lab CEO Wolfgang Fengler speaks with co-founder and global middle class expert Homi Kharas about new research that challenges one of the most widely discussed narratives in economics today. Featured prominently in The Economist, World Data Lab’s latest analysis examines inequality through the lens of consumption rather than wealth. By comparing how much the bottom 50% of the global population consumes relative to the top 10%, the data ...
26 Feb 2026
Building Digital Africa
Join Data Talks Building Digital Africa with Bitange Ndemo In this episode of Data Talks, Wolfgang Fengler speaks with Professor Bitange Ndemo, Kenya’s Ambassador to Belgium and the European Union, former Permanent Secretary for Information and Communication, and one of the architects of Kenya’s digital transformation. Widely regarded as a driving force behind the modernization of Kenya’s ICT sector, Prof. Ndemo oversaw landmark reforms including the installation of undersea submarine ca...
11 Feb 2026
The consumer is king
Join Data Talks In this episode of Data Talks, Wolfgang speaks with Kirti Singh, Chief Insights Officer at Procter & Gamble, about what it truly means to be consumer-first in a company that serves more than 5.5 billion people worldwide. Kirti reflects on her 30+ year global career spanning India, China and the United States, and how her very first day at P&G, spent inside a consumer’s home, shaped her philosophy on leadership and growth. The conversation explores: How P&G drives m...
28 Jan 2026
How Data Changed the Climate Conversation
Join Data Talks How Data Changed the Climate Conversation Host: Wolfgang Fengler Guest: Sir Andrew Steer KCMG, PhD How did climate and nature move from the sidelines to the center of global economic decision-making—and what role did data play in that shift? In this episode of Data Talks, Wolfgang Fengler speaks with Sir Andrew Steer KCMG, PhD—former President & CEO of the Bezos Earth Fund (2021–2025), former President & CEO of the World Resources Institute, and now Professor in Prac...
14 Jan 2026
From Data to the Dressing Room: Why Football Is About Human Connection
Join Data Talks In this episode of Data Talks, we’re joined by Benedikt Höwedes, World Cup winner with Germany, former long-time captain of FC Schalke 04, and a leader shaped by elite football environments. Benedikt reflects on his journey from academy football to captaining his boyhood club, and on playing every minute of Germany’s 2014 World Cup triumph. The conversation explores how football has evolved, from physical demands and tactics to data, performance science, and the growing comple...
3 Dec 2025
Closing the Data Divide
Join Data Talks This episode of our podcast brings together Wolfgang Fengler and Shamina Singh for a powerful conversation on inclusion, data, and the rapidly changing digital-to-AI economy. Shamina shares the origin story of the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, the shift from the analog world to a data-driven one, and why networks and access determine economic opportunity. Together, they explore the rising “data divide,” the role of AI in shaping the next decade, and how organizations...
10 Nov 2025
The Metrics of Peace
Join Data Talks Data Talks: Measuring Peace with Steve Killelea In this episode of Data Talks, World Data Lab CEO Wolfgang Fengler speaks with Steve Killelea, respected entrepreneur, philanthropist, and founder of the Global Peace Index. Steve shares his journey from building successful tech companies to dedicating his life to understanding and measuring peace. Together, they explore how data can quantify something as complex as peacefulness, what the Global Peace Index reveals about tod...
27 Oct 2025
Don’t underestimate Africa
Join Data Talks In this episode of Data Talks, Wolfgang Fengler sits down with Michael Joseph, the legendary CEO who built Safaricom into one of Africa’s most successful companies and helped pioneer mobile money and digital inclusion across the continent. From being “sent to fail” in a challenging market to creating a multi-billion-dollar enterprise that redefined how people connect, Michael shares candid insights into leadership, risk-taking, and why trusting your instincts can sometimes out...
13 Oct 2025
Data & Philosophy
Join Data Talks Host Wolfgang Fengler speaks with Jesús Crespo Cuaresma, Head of the Department of Economics at the Vienna University of Economics and Business and a long-time collaborator of World Data Lab (WDL). They discuss Crespo’s journey into economics, the art and science of forecasting, and the future of socioeconomic modelling in an uncertain world. The episode captures the essence of why data matters: using rigorous yet humble science to make sense of the future, balancing complexit...
29 Sept 2025
The 20 Trillion Price
Join Data Talks In this episode of Data Talks, Wolfgang Fengler speaks with Marta Bowles, Chief Communications Officer at NIQ, about how high-quality data, and the AI built on top of it, is reshaping decisions for brands and retailers. Marta traces her path from CPG and direct selling to leading communications at a global consumer-intelligence company, reflecting on what’s changed (and what hasn’t) in the marriage of marketing, data, and technology. They dive into why Gen X is an under-served...
15 Sept 2025
The magic number 17
Join Data Talks In this special edition of Data Talks, Wolfgang Fengler sits down with his long-time friend and World Data Lab co-founder, Homi Kharas. Homi reflects on his 26 years at the World Bank, his role in shaping the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, and the origins of the “data revolution.” Together, Wolfgang and Homi revisit the dinner-table conversations that sparked the creation of World Data Lab, explore why making everyone count matters, and unpack Homi’s influential research ...
1 Sept 2025
Math and Magic
Join Data Talks L’Oréal’s Chief Marketing & Digital Officer Asmita Dubey joins Wolfgang Fengler on Data Talks to unpack the “math & magic” of modern marketing, blending creativity and technology, the rise of beauty tech, and what Gen Z and Gen X really want. 🔗 Learn more at worlddatalab.com Data Talks is produced by World Data Lab, bringing global data to life through insights, conversations, and stories that matter.
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