Emerging Markets Today

A new season of Emerging Markets Today is here. New episodes in October and November 2026. Expect more stories from across Africa, Latin America, Asia and beyond, covering entrepreneurship, investment, technology, fintech and the forces changing how emerging economies grow. Don't forget to hit the notification bell! Subscribe to the EMT newsletter: https://emergingmarketstoday.substack.com/ Vi...

Financial inclusion is usually presented as an unquestionable good. More people with access to bank accounts, credit and digital payments should mean more opportunity, greater resilience and stronger economic development. But the reality is more complicated. In this episode from the Emerging Markets Today archive, I speak with Emmanuel Daniel, founder of The Asian Banker, about financial inclusion...

Some of Latin America’s most interesting startups are not building the products that attract the biggest headlines. They are solving practical problems in logistics, payments, business software and other parts of the economy that still do not work particularly well. In this episode from the Emerging Markets Today archive, I speak with Daniel Lloreda , co-founder and managing partner of HTwenty , a...

Building a digital business in an emerging market often means developing the talent, infrastructure and systems the company needs while trying to grow at the same time. In this episode from the Emerging Markets Today archive, I speak with Aziz Musa , founder of Cush Digital , about building a digital marketing company in Sudan and later moving its operations to Egypt. We discuss how Cush Digital t...

Access to healthcare is only part of the challenge in emerging markets. Patients also need reliable diagnostics, consistent standards and a system they can trust. In this episode from the Emerging Markets Today archive, I speak with Sylvana Q. Sinha , founder of Praava Health , about building a more patient-focused model of private healthcare in Bangladesh. We discuss why many middle-class patient...

Temu is now the most downloaded app across Europe. A Chinese e commerce platform that grew fast enough to push aside long-established Western players. I wanted to understand the mechanics behind this shift, so I invited sustainability expert John Pabon back to Emerging Markets Today. John lived ten years in China and saw the country move from the wild factory era to a more regulated system. He exp...

In this episode, I’m joined by economists Elijah Oliveros Rosen and Harumi Hasegawa Sanchez from S&P Global Ratings. We unpacked why Latin America’s 2024 unexpectedly outpaced forecasts, and why two of its largest economies—Mexico and Colombia—are heading in very different directions. We explore how trade tariffs hit Asia harder than Latin America, how a weak dollar and interest-rate shifts br...

Brazil is one of the most promising ride-hailing markets in the world — but it’s also one of the toughest to win. In this episode, Ana Paula Picasso sits down with Luiz Fittipaldi , former global strategist at Bolt, to unpack why global players like Uber, Didi, and others face unique hurdles when entering the Brazilian market. From regulation gaps to payment challenges, Luiz shares first-hand insi...

I’m back with a new season of Emerging Markets Today . This year, I’ll explore how technology and innovation grow where infrastructure, regulation, and creativity meet — from fintech and ride-sharing to digital identity and trade. Each episode brings real stories and insights from people building the future of emerging markets. The first episode, Ride-Sharing Strategy in Emerging Markets , drops l...

In the first episode of the year, we talked about emerging markets in 2025, exploring key trends and investment opportunities. With sources curated by Ana Paula Picasso and analysis/voices from Google's NotebookLM , we examined accelerating digital transformation in Southeast Asia, Africa, and India , and the crucial role of sustainability and green investments in driving growth, citing examples f...

In this episode, we explore India’s Semiconductor Surge: Driving Force of “Make in India” , highlighting the country’s ambition to become a global manufacturing leader through semiconductor growth and the strategic U.S.-India Semiconductor Supply Chain and Innovation Partnership. We also revisit India’s Golden Decade Has Already Begun , an interview with Ian Herbison, CEO of Speyside group discuss...

Why hasn’t IKEA entered Brazil yet? In this episode, we explore the reasons behind IKEA’s absence in Brazil’s market, including tough competition from local brands and logistical challenges. Tune in for insights! This episode was made with NotebookLM. Read more: No IKEA in Brazil: Local Furniture Brands Pose Fierce Competition

In this episode, powered by Google’s NotebookLM AI Tool, we dive into how Showmax has overtaken Netflix in Africa by focusing on local content, language diversity, and flexible payment options. We also explore Africa's booming music streaming industry, where platforms like Boomplay and Spotify are reshaping the music scene despite challenges like piracy and data costs. Want to learn more? Check ou...

Walmart's "Everyday Low Prices" strategy may have succeeded in the US, but it faced a surprising defeat in Brazil. Despite a super fast expansion through acquisitions in the early 2000s, Walmart failed to connect with Brazilian shoppers who preferred promotional deals and local stores over the giant’s hypermarkets. The company struggled against strong competitors like Carrefour and GPA, and its po...

In this episode, I’m doing something completely different. I invited two AI voices from Google’s new NotebookLM tool to join me for a conversation about one of my latest articles—how Chinese automaker BYD is investing in Brazil’s electric vehicle market! We dive into why a country famous for its ethanol cars is now a battleground for the EV revolution, and how BYD’s strategy to build local (instea...

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This is the last encore episode of 2023! In the face of the possible border dispute between Venezuela and Guyana, I decided to repost the episode I recorded with Steven Jasmin , the Managing Director of SC3 . Stephen has been deeply involved in Guyana since 2017 and has some fascinating insights about this rapidly growing nation. Here are some key takeaways from our conversation: Guyana's Tran...

Another encore from one of my favorite episodes! We talked about the little known country of Suriname . Our guest, Monique Pool , founder and director of the Green Heritage Fund Suriname, shares her insights and experiences with her journey into the wildlife conservation. Here are my three biggest takeaways from the episode: Urbanization is having a significant impact on Suriname's wildlife, p...

This is an encore episode! In 2021, I had the pleasure of interviewing Vinh Ho , an American entrepreneur and host of the podcast "Focus Asia Pacific". We talked about Vietnam's economic growth and its emergence as a rising star in Southeast Asia. Here are some key takeaways from our conversation: Vietnam's Tech-Savvy Youth : Vinh shared his admiration for the young generation in...

This episode is an encore! The year was 2021, in the middle of the Covid pandemic and I interviewed Carlos Kazuo Missao, and he was the director of the GFT Group in Brazil. This episode captured all the changes the fintech sector was going through (and still is). Here's a sneak peek of what we discussed: The Brazilian Fintech Landscape: Brazil is a hotbed for entrepreneurs and interconnected i...

This is an encore episode! Last year, I had the pleasure of chatting Ian Herbison , the CEO of the Speyside Group . We had a very insightful conversation about India's potential in the emerging markets, and I'm excited to share some key takeaways with you. India's Golden Decade:  Ian and I discussed the buzz around India's golden decade, highlighting the country's growing domes...

I've got some news to share that's just too good to keep under wraps. The podcast is turning three – can you believe it? In these 3 years I spoke to some amazing founders and thought leaders from different countries and sectors and I decided that some of the past episodes deverse to be shared again. So, I picked 5 of the past episodes , some of them were from the early days of the podcast...

I had the pleasure of speaking with Aziz Musa , the founder of Cush Digital , a leading digital marketing agency in North Africa . Here are three key takeaways from our conversation: 1️⃣ Navigating Challenges in Emerging Countries: Aziz highlighted the difficulties of working in a nascent market like Sudan , from infrastructure issues to talent gaps. It's not an easy feat, but it's fascina...

In this episode, I chat with Paul Breloff , co-founder of Shortlist , about the pivotal role of human capital in Africa's economic trajectory. Shortlist provides executive search services and work force development for leading startups and impact organizations in Africa. Here's a snapshot of our conversation: 1️⃣ The Power of People: While big ideas capture attention, it's the individu...

This episode is all about innovation in Latin America! We're chatting about the new and exciting businesses in Latin America through the lens of venture capital, so I invited Daniel Lloreda and he is a managing partner at H20 capital , a early-stage venture capital fund with operations in Miami, Mexico & Colombia. We talked about innovative startups you might not have heard of - what I lik...