Kevin Cunnington Articles
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2024 wrapped: revisit Global Government Forum’s top podcasts
From remembering the heyday of the UK Digital Academy to looking ahead at the hurdles public service leaders face in 2025, here’s our pick of the best podcasts from this year. A retrospective of the UK Digital Academy Early in the year, the Global Government Forum podcast team took a train from London to Leeds…
Exclusive research sets out how the next US administration can lead on digital service delivery
A new Global Government Forum report has set out the steps that the next US administration should take to drive digital transformation across the federal government. In a timely report published as the transition from president Biden to the incoming Trump administration begins, Global Government Forum experts Kevin Cunnington and Andrew Besford interviewed 13 members…
UK general election: top tips to get ready for the next government
The UK is set for a general election on 4 July. Announcing the vote on 22 May, prime minister Rishi Sunak declared “now is the moment for Britain to choose its future”. Following the announcement, a Global Government Forum webinar discussed ‘how to get ready for the next government’, looking at the key topics that…
Digital transformation in government: how to move from vision to implementation
How can governments and departments create their own vision for digital transformation? What does it take to move from vision to implementation? And what common mistakes should be avoided? In the first episode of GGF’s new podcast Government Transformed – brought to you with support from knowledge partner Visa – former UK Government Digital Service…
Government digital transformation 101: key building blocks explained in new GGF podcast series
What are the key building blocks needed to create modern, responsive and citizen-centric governments? And how can civil servants knock down the barriers that stand in the way? To answer these questions, today, Global Government Forum and knowledge partner Visa have launched a brand new podcast series Government Transformed, delving into all things digital transformation…
Hard lessons: former GDS chief on what works in government – and what doesn’t
Reflecting on his three-year stint running the UK’s Government Digital Service, Kevin Cunnington was as open about his failures as his successes. Now he’s running a research programme to help others avoid the transformation traps. Matt Ross reports “Visions are largely irrelevant,” said Kevin Cunnington. “Most of our digital visions are the same: we all…
Digital strategies and human tactics: making technology work in the real world
During a packed evening at the 2022 Global Government Digital Summit, digital chiefs from around the world discussed national strategies and research reports – then a departmental transformation lead’s plea for help really struck a chord. Matt Ross reports “The government needs to focus on the future of digital in Canada,” said Mona Fortier. “Canadians…
Former UK GDS chief publishes 21 ‘shortcuts’ to ease digital transformation in government
Former UK digital chief Kevin Cunnington has today launched a major new report, setting out 21 ways to address some of the biggest problems facing digital leaders around the world. The product of two years’ research with civil servants from more than 30 countries, ‘The digital leader’s toolkit: 21 ways to transform government’ is designed…
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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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