Soumaya Keynes of The Economist and PIIE Senior Fellow Chad P. Bown talk with PIIE Senior Fellow Caroline Freund about her research on big firms, billionaires, international trade, and economic development. First up is her recent book “Rich People Poor Countries: The Rise of Emerging-Market Tycoons and Their Mega Firms” and the evidence behind the importance of being big in international trade. They also probe the downside of unproductive wealth, the rise of inefficient behemoths in the form of state-owned enterprises, and implications for global concentration. Finally, they debate what policymakers should do to address the good and bad of big firms and the ultra rich.