Europe

William Priest, Chief Executive, Geospatial Commission, UK: Exclusive Interview

Geospatial data could strengthen public service delivery and business growth – but whilst most governments hold vast datasets, few are realising their potential. Matt Ross meets William Priest, charged with […]

How Britain built its own cliff edge

The UK’s former Permanent Representative to the EU, Sir Ivan Rogers, left the civil service last year after providing advice on Brexit that ministers didn’t want to hear. Now he […]

Sir Philip Lowe, former Director-General of Competition and of Energy, European Commission: Exclusive Interview

During a four-decade career at the European Commission, Sir Philip Lowe played a key role in developing competition policy and energy markets; and now he’s watching as his own country […]

The rise and fall of GDS: lessons for digital government

Founded in 2011, the UK’s Government Digital Service led the world in transforming online services; but Britain’s digital reforms have since slowed. When three of the key figures in GDS’s […]

Courting capability, part 1: tempting talent into civil services

In many countries, the pressures to cut budgets and introduce digital services have created a need for technical professionals at the most senior levels of government – but most civil […]

Reshaping pensions: President Macron’s ambitious plans

France has a complex, inequitable pensions system; and a powerful, well dug-in set of unions. The president’s stated goals have put him on a collision course with both: David Whitehouse […]

UK PM to blame for Windrush scandal, says former deputy PM

British prime minister Theresa May apologised at last week’s Commonwealth summit for the treatment of Caribbean immigrants who arrived in the UK decades ago. But Nick Clegg, deputy prime minister […]

New women leaders institute to be chaired by former Oz PM

After sexism poisoned her three-year stint as Australian prime minister, Julia Gillard became ever more determined to champion gender equality in government and politics. Liz Heron hears her explain her […]

Macron’s wealth tax reform: a red light for France’s property industry?

New French president Emmanuel Macron has just introduced a major reform of the country’s wealth tax, focusing it directly on property investments in a bid to push more cash into […]

Beyond the contract: getting value from incumbent suppliers, part 1

Nowadays, many public commercial teams know that contract management is just as important as procurement. But there’s a third strand to good commercial operations: negotiating and managing additional work placed […]