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Restoring goodwill: former UK HR chief Kevin White on repairing national government’s damaged reputation
The UK’s response to COVID-19 fostered a suspicion of leadership, says former UK HR chief Kevin White – but it’s also an opportunity to revive trust in public services. The civil service should be more transparent and diverse, he tells Mia Hunt, while elected leaders should stop attacking officials The UK’s poor performance in handling…
‘An iconoclastic government’: former DEXEU chief Philip Rycroft on threats to the UK and its democracy
Philip Rycroft ran both the UK’s Brexit department, and Whitehall’s relations with the devolved governments. Now the former permanent secretary is speaking out: the Johnson government, he says, is ‘challenging the democratic basis of our system’ and boosting support for Scottish independence. Interview by Matt Ross “There is no tradition at the UK government level…
Digital citizens: an interview with Estonia’s e-Residency chief, Ott Vatter
When Estonia launched its e-Residency scheme five years ago, it was a leap in the dark. But as its managing director Ott Vatter tells Matt Ross, nowadays the programme is boosting economic growth, tax revenues, and the country’s profile by connecting with an emerging generation of global, highly-mobile entrepreneurs “We’re the pathfinders in this journey,”…
Data with destiny: an interview with Canada’s stats chief
Anil Arora, the chief statistician of Canada, never planned on a long public sector career. But as he tells Matt Ross, a series of fascinating challenges have kept him in the civil service. And now he faces his biggest task yet: rewiring government to put data at the heart of decision-making When Anil Arora first…
Getting off the Fens: the global journey of Social Impact Bonds
Born as a pilot scheme in the Fens of East England, Social Impact Bonds have since been deployed in dozens of countries around the world – bringing together private finance, government and charities to tackle knotty social problems. Gavin O’Toole meets Jane Newman of Social Finance, which developed the model Peterborough does not strike the…
Breaking the deadlock: O’Donnell backs a confirmatory Brexit vote
Former UK Cabinet secretary Gus O’Donnell has spent nearly three years urging the government to unite behind a clear position on Brexit – but he’s finally concluded that only a confirmatory referendum can end Britain’s political gridlock, and get the country’s politics moving again. Interview by Matt Ross Gus O’Donnell is no fan of referendums.…
Minor regrets, major changes: the EU’s former UK rep on a tumultuous four years
Until 2017, Jackie Minor was the European Commission’s Head of Representation in the UK. As Brexit negotiations enter a dangerous and painful endgame, she reviews her time at the Commission – and considers how clashing cultures have derailed Britain’s relationship with the EU Ever since Brexit negotiations got underway, many British politicians have been constantly…
A word from Eurohumph: former EC chief Robert Madelin on tech, skills & Brexit
Robert Madelin, a former European Commission innovation and technology chief, tells Ian Hall of the digital challenges facing civil services on regulation and deployment. And then there’s Brexit: the UK’s predicament, he says, points to something broken in the relationship between UK ministers and officials Robert Madelin’s Twitter handle is @eurohumph – a surely unsurpassable…
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Discover independent research reports, surveys and in-depth studies from Global Government Forum and knowledge partners, exploring the most important issues facing governments and the public sector. Our research provides practical insights and evidence-based recommendations for senior civil servants, policymakers and public sector leaders. Our reports combine exclusive survey data, expert analysis and interviews with government leaders from around the world to help public sector organisations improve performance, inform policy and deliver better outcomes for citizens.
Empowering Public Servants to Make Confident, Informed Decisions with Data and AI
Governments around the world are working hard to extract – and act upon – the insights held in their vast data stores, and to embrace AI and the promise it holds for innovation and transformation. At the same time, economic pressures and constrained budgets are compelling public servants to do more with fewer resources, while governments are called to respond quickly and effectively to complex challenges.
Against this backdrop, data and AI can help those working in government both to streamline their workflows and make fast, informed decisions. This in turn drives efficiency and can unlock productivity gains – and ultimately lead to improved performance and better services for citizens.
Global Government Forum surveyed over 600 civil servants worldwide to understand how data and AI are being used in government decision-making and where there are further challenges and opportunities.
Read this report for insight into how governments are using data and AI in decision-making today and the potential for the future; the major challenges to using data and AI in decision-making and how to overcome them; and how AI agents can be used in decision-making.
The report includes examples of data and AI in decision-making from countries including the UK, Ireland, Australia, Canada, Singapore, the US, and more.
(Published September 2025)
Making Government Work: Five Pillars of a Modern, Effective Civil Service
Around the world, governments are dealing with substantial challenges – from economic stagnation to the transition to net zero, military conflicts and cyber threats. Governments are also grappling with shifting geopolitics and the rise of populism – and all of these factors are set against the emergence of new technologies, including generative AI, which have the potential to fundamentally transform every aspect of society, but which also pose huge ethical, security and regulatory questions for the public sector.
The Making Government Work: Five pillars of a modern, effective civil service report was undertaken to help identify the key characteristics needed in a modern public service, with priorities ranging across leadership, digital service delivery, workforce development, cross-departmental integration, and citizen trust.
This report has been covered by publications around the world including the Financial Times, BBC Radio 4’s PM programme, Ottawa Citizen, Fed Manager, the Mandarin and the i newspaper.
(Published August 2024)
The Future of the Finance Ministry
From setting tax rates and financial regulations that create the ground rules for national economies, to allocating – and tracking – spending for public services, finance ministries occupy an essential role at the centre of government. Geopolitical crises have reinforced the importance of finance ministries, as they tackle both immediate shocks and long-term trends such as ageing populations, the digital transition, and the impact of moves to net zero.
Against this backdrop, this global research explores what the future finance ministry looks like and how to prepare for it.
Based on interviews with 10 senior leaders from finance ministries – led by John McCarthy, chief economist in Ireland’s Department of Finance, working with Ian Hall, editor, Global Government Finance, and Richard Johnstone, executive editor, Global Government Forum – the study identifies four key themes: the evolving role of the finance ministry in response to uncertainty; the shift to more flexible finance systems that support outcomes; digital transformation and the growth of AI; and the battle for talent and trust.
(Published May 2026)
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