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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 some countries rise while others stall, what today’s global crises mean for growth and inflation, and how better data and new technologies could transform the future of public services in developing economies.

At a moment of deep uncertainty, this episode offers a timely and thought-provoking look at the world economy at a turning point.

🔗 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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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 reveals a surprising trend: global inequality in consumption is improving, largely driven by rapid economic growth in countries such as India, China, Indonesia, and across Southeast Asia.

Together, Wolfgang and Homi explore:

• Why consumption inequality may be a more meaningful measure of real living standards than wealth inequality
• How global economic growth is lifting billions of people out of extreme poverty
• Why the rise of emerging economies is reshaping the global distribution of prosperity
• The role of government policies, taxation, and public services in influencing inequality within countries
• And why, despite ongoing global uncertainty, the long-term trajectory for human welfare may be more positive than many assume.

The conversation offers a data-driven perspective on one of the defining debates of our time — and highlights how new global datasets can help policymakers, businesses, and researchers better understand the real progress happening across the world economy.

🔗 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.

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 cables, the liberalization of telecom markets, the reduction of mobile termination rates, the launch of Kenya Open Data, and the rise of innovation hubs such as iHub and mLab. These reforms helped position Kenya as a continental leader in digital innovation.

Now serving in diplomacy while continuing his academic and research work in entrepreneurship and ICT-driven development, Prof. Ndemo reflects on the policy decisions that reshaped a nation, and what Africa must do next.

The conversation explores:

• How infrastructure unlocked Africa’s digital economy
• The political economy of reform and regulation
• Why Africa can leapfrog in AI and emerging technologies
• The power of youth, innovation, and open data
• And what “building digital Africa” truly means in the next decade

A thoughtful discussion on leadership, policy, technology, and Africa’s place in the global digital future.

🔗 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.