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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 scale with local relevance, why understanding the “why” behind data is critical, and how shifting consumer trends, from preventative health to digital self-expression, are shaping the future of oral care.

At its heart, this episode is about one simple mission: putting more smiles on people’s faces.

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Data Talks is produced by World Data Lab, bringing global data to life through insights, conversations, and stories that matter.

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 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.

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 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.