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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 Market Intelligence and Product Marketing 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 important stories, and the most important markets, are the ones nobody is paying attention to. That same instinct drives Ebanx's focus on the "Digital South": hundreds of millions of mobile-first, young, middle-class consumers who are transacting online for the first time and can't be reached with a card-first checkout.

In this conversation, you'll hear about the innovation happening right now in emerging market payments, from Brazil's Pix reaching 95% adult adoption in under five years, to India's UPI embedding inside Rupay cards, to M-Pesa in Kenya issuing virtual cards for online purchases. Estelita argues that rather than competing, these payment methods are feeding each other and building a larger, more inclusive ecosystem.

Key themes: fintech innovation, emerging markets, financial inclusion, digital payments, the Global South, consumer behaviour, SaaS, gaming, social commerce.

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

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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 and artificial intelligence, this conversation explores how data reveals emerging opportunities long before they appear in the headlines.

Yarden shares lessons from building a startup through Y Combinator, discusses why trends like press-on nails and longevity treatments have endured, and explains why the future of AI is not about replacing humans—but helping them tell better stories with data.

A fascinating discussion for anyone interested in consumer behavior, innovation, marketing, and the future of insights.

🔗 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, 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.

🔗 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.