Insights from Ipsos CEO Ben Page on how Asia’s confidence, Singapore’s neutrality, and geopolitical shifts are redefining global dynamics.

As the world grapples with economic realignments, environmental urgency, and fraying multilateral ties, understanding global public sentiment has never been more vital. At the helm of this effort is Ben Page, CEO of Ipsos, a leading international market research and polling firm operating in over 90 countries. Under his leadership, Ipsos continues to deliver data-driven insights that shape decision-making across both public and private sectors.

Page has built his reputation on interpreting complex global attitudes with clarity and candour. In this exclusive interview, he discusses recent findings from Ipsos’s global surveys, including rising optimism in Asia, persistent global concerns over climate change, and the shifting role of countries like Singapore and Indonesia in a new geopolitical era.

Ipsos’s recent survey indicates that 51% of respondents anticipate a stronger global economy in 2025, up from 46% in 2022. What do you think is driving this optimism?

“The increase in optimism reflects the fact that inflation fell in 2024, so globally, people felt a bit better – but cost of living issues have remained the world’s number one issue for three years now, following the pandemic – and this was reflected in incumbent leaders losing power or votes in virtually every election last year.”

Your research highlights that people in countries like Indonesia and China are especially confident about the future. Why do you think sentiment is so strong there compared to other regions?

“Looking at global consumer views, it is very noticeable that Asia remains far more optimistic about the future than Europe or the US. This is driven by a number of things. First, age – many Asian countries (but not all!) are younger than the average in the West, and young people tend to be more optimistic than the old.

Second, real growth over the last few decades has been exceptional. So for many in Asia, the present and future still looks way better than the remembered past – for example, compare life in China now to the 1960s when I was born.

In contrast, the majority of people in Europe and the US say they would like their country to be ‘the way it used to be’ – not necessarily a real return to the past, but to aspects of it they find reassuring amid rapid change.”

Ipsos’s surveys reveal that 80% of respondents expect rising global temperatures, with significant concern in Southeast Asia. How do you see this shaping economic policies in the region?

“Consumers all agree climate change is a problem but do not agree on what needs to be done about it. They still put their own personal economic worries ahead of acting on carbon, for example, and they expect business and government to do the real work.

That’s why more than ever we need political leadership and multilateral action. The challenge is that debt pressures and short-term political challenges mean massive near-term risks like climate change get pushed down everyone’s to-do list.”

Singapore’s strategic role in the global semiconductor supply chain and its focus on ICT and finance are highlighted as key growth engines. How sustainable are these sectors in driving Singapore’s economic growth in the coming years?

“Singapore has huge opportunities as a neutral provider of key services, especially being located in one of the most dynamic areas of the world with dramatic growth and huge resources – it’s a role you have played for decades and as long as you can remain everyone’s friend, there is no reason why it shouldn’t continue.”

There’s been more talk about Southeast Asia becoming a bigger player in global supply chains. From your research and regional insights, do you think the region is ready?

“The gradual switch from the post-WWII world, based around global institutions supported by the world’s biggest military power, to one more like the pre-WWI world of competing power blocs, means that there will remain huge opportunities for the region given its demographics, location and resources – as long as it is able to avoid being too closely associated with any of the global powers.”

What’s one of the biggest hurdles when it comes to economic coordination between developed and developing countries?

“Short-term self-interest – easy for me to say, but I do not need to get elected by a frustrated and anxious electorate.”

A lot of developing nations are calling for more support on climate finance and tech sharing. Are you seeing signs that developed countries are stepping up?

“Sadly, the decline in multilateralism means that we are seeing more and more short-term thinking. In the West, the ‘loss of the future’ – the fact that for a large part of the population of Europe and the US now expect their children to be poorer than them – has produced populist leaders offering simple solutions: less global collaboration, more ‘deals’, and zero-sum thinking – what benefits one country must necessarily disadvantage another. In this context, I am pessimistic.”

Ipsos runs global surveys across very different countries and economies. How do you make sure the economic data reflects real conditions on the ground?

“Our work is all about ensuring that our surveys are as accurate as we can make them – it’s why we continue to use both offline and digital data collection all over the world, to ensure we can reach everyone, and one reason why we continue to poll elections all over the world. You get real-time feedback on your accuracy very quickly, with no place to hide!

Overall, across all elections globally, polls average about 2% error for each party’s share of the vote, and often do better than this. For example, in one recent UK election, our average error was 0.3% per party. When you consider the challenges in achieving representative samples of voters, that’s pretty incredible.

We can now use a whole range of digital algorithms to assess data quality rapidly in ways that were just not possible when I started work in 1986.”

In an increasingly multipolar world, Ben Page’s insights offer both clarity and caution. Asia’s upward momentum, Singapore’s strategic diplomacy, and the enduring importance of global cooperation stand out as key themes, but so too do the barriers of political will and short-term thinking.

Whether on climate, trade, or governance, the call for multilateral cooperation is urgent, but work remains to be done.

For policymakers and businesses alike, the message is clear: real progress demands long-term thinking, trusted data, and leaders willing to look beyond borders.

Source: IN Diplomacy Reporters