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Future of the finance ministry: The digital transformation opportunity
A global study of government finance leaders has revealed shared priorities and challenges in an era of unpredictable geopolitics and rapid digital transformation. The Future of the Finance Ministry study – published by Global Government Forum and sister title Global Government Finance – is based on interviews with 10 senior leaders from finance ministries around the world. The…
‘Death to the tax return’: tracking the revolution in revenue collection
Digital technologies are dramatically easing the process of paying tax, while providing invaluable data to finance departments. At the Government Finance Summit, civil service leaders discussed the remarkable progress in how governments assess and collect tax revenues “Change makes something better – like making cars that go faster. Transformation is about the caterpillar and the…
Transforming taxation with data and AI
All over the world, public finances are being squeezed, forcing governments to seek innovative ways to safeguard tax revenue and make services as user-friendly as possible. On a recent webinar, Global Government Forum, along with knowledge partner SAS, brought together a panel of four experts to discuss how governments are rising to the challenge of…
Building a positive relationship with taxpayers: Five minutes with Georgia’s head of tax policy
In this interview, Marine Khurtsidze, head of the Tax and Customs Policy Department in Georgia’s Ministry of Finance, shares her career advice and what she has learned from her tax peers overseas. This is part of a ‘Five minutes’ series featuring participants from this week’s Global Government Finance Summit in Dublin (5-6 June). What are you most…
‘It harms taxpayer compliance to see a lot of tax evasion and avoidance going on’: how governments can reshape obsolete tax systems
The digital economy, advanced tax avoidance techniques, organised fraud and the demands of net zero has rendered our international tax architecture increasingly obsolete. At the Global Government Finance Summit, finance leaders from around the world debated how to fix it In an era of slow global growth and high inflation, finance departments face ever-growing pressure…
Challenging the accepted wisdom: why economics isn’t ‘up to the job’ of tackling climate change
Finance leaders are key to the economic and governmental changes required to reach net zero – but the Global Government Finance Summit heard fears that they have not yet understood the flaws in their models or the challenge they face “This is the number one topic – not only in this conference but in public…
Finding your identity: how three governments are developing digital ID
Digital ID is an essential building block for rapid progress on transforming public services – but only a handful of governments have launched effective, popular systems. At the Global Government Digital Summit, digital leaders from Germany, Catalonia and Azerbaijan explained how they’re addressing the problem “Citizen digital identity is very polarising,” said Kevin Cunnington. “There…
‘Never compromise your integrity’: five minutes with Global Government Summit participant Arturo Herrera Gutierrez
Arturo Gutierrez, global director for governance global practice, equitable growth, finance, and Institutions Practice Group (EFI) vice presidency at the World Bank, tells Global Government Forum about steering the Mexican economy through COVID, investing in technical capabilities, and rock climbing in his spare time In this sister series to our ‘Five minutes with’ interviews,…
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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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