Agenda

22 October 2020
12:00 – 12:10  BST

Welcome

Facilitator: Matt Ross – Editorial Director, Global Government Forum

12:10 – 13:40  BST

Learning from the financial crisis: economic growth and public finances from 2021

After the 2008 credit crunch and the resulting financial crisis, many governments initially worked together to prop up their finance sectors and protect their economies. But later, as political leaders focused on closing public sector deficits, ‘austerity’ policies constrained household incomes, weakened public services and fostered a political backlash. And just as balance sheets started edging back into the black, COVID-19 arrived – demanding a huge new wave of public spending. This session will consider how economic and fiscal policymakers can begin to restore public finances while stimulating sustainable economic growth, protecting their populations, and funding the new services required to guard against future risks.

Presentations, as part of group discussions

Pablo de Ramón Laca – Director General – Treasury and Financial Policy, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation, Spain

David Henderson – Chief Geospatial Officer, Ordnance Survey (Knowledge Partner)

Mark MacDonald – Global Public Finance Management Leader, EY  (Knowledge Partner)

14:00 – 15:40  BST

Rebuilding economies: stimulus packages for tomorrow’s economies

As governments build and deliver stimulus packages to keep their economies afloat, economists and finance professionals must find a balance between supporting existing industries and reshaping their economies around the emerging markets of the 21st century. Protecting legacy sectors may enable a faster return to growth – but those nations that prepare for tomorrow’s economies are the most likely to thrive in the long term. This session will explore how countries can minimise harm to traditional industries, while realising the potential for growth in fields such as environmental sustainability, healthcare and disaster preparedness.

Presentations, as part of group discussions

Līga Kļaviņa – Deputy State Secretary for Financial Policy, Ministry of Finance, Latvia

Michael Froman – Vice Chairman and President, Strategic Growth, Mastercard  (Knowledge Partner)

16:00 – 17:45  BST

Resource allocation, system oversight and the drive for public sector impact

As governments improve the collection, management, analysis and deployment of data, they create new opportunities to strengthen strategic financial management; to track the impact of public policies; and to boost cost-effectiveness in service design and delivery. Real-time monitoring of spending can support better resource deployment and more responsive services. Monitoring outcomes can help to identify effective approaches to service delivery and provide a better evidence base for preventive work. And new financial management technologies can enable senior leaders to track spending against cross-departmental policy goals. This session will consider how new data technologies and techniques can provide greater transparency, control and efficiency in the allocation and spending of public funds.

Presentations, as part of group discussions

Anthony Gardner – Former US Ambassador to the European Union  (Knowledge Partner)

Noureddine Bensouda – General Treasurer of the Kingdom, Morocco

Markus Sovala – Director General, Economic Policy Coordination, Finland

23 October 2020
14:00 to 16:00  BST

Funding and delivering infrastructure in the post-COVID world

As the immediate threat of coronavirus recedes in many parts of the world, governments are eager to restore economic growth; investors are looking for safe havens; and interest rates are on the floor. The post-COVID period is likely to see many countries making major investments in infrastructure. But which forms of infrastructure are most likely to boost growth after the pandemic, reshaping economies around reformed working practices and emerging industries? And what fiscal and financial structures are likely to prove most cost-effective as tax revenues fall during the looming recession?

Presentations, as part of group discussions

Peter Lim – Director, Fiscal Policy, Ministry of Finance, Singapore

Dr. Harry Tsavdaris – Worldwide Community Lead for Tax and Revenue, Microsoft  (Knowledge Partner)

Gil S. Beltran – Undersecretary, Department of Finance, Philippines

16:00 – 16:10  BST

Summary and thanks