Commissioners Connect: Collective Leadership, Digital Readiness & Strategic Enforcement Across the Commonwealth – 17 March 2026

The March 2026 Commissioners Connect convened tax leaders from across the Commonwealth for a dynamic and forward‑looking discussion on building Future Ready Tax Administrations.

Moderated throughout by Dr Abu Tariq Jamaluddin, CEO of the Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia (current President of CATA), the 90‑minute peer-led session created a trusted space for Commissioners to exchange practical experiences, leadership insights, and strategic perspectives.

Participation was strong despite significant time‑zone challenges — with some Commissioners joining late into the night from New Zealand and the Pacific, and others connecting at dawn from the Caribbean. Their commitment underscored the value and relevance of this quarterly engagement.

A Structured, Peer-Led Format That Encouraged Deep Dialogue

Each of the three themes followed a consistent format:

1. Scene‑setting by the Moderator

2. Spotlight insights from selected Commissioners to frame the topic

3. Open discussion, where all participating administrations contributed

This structure ensured all voices were heard. In addition to the spotlight contributors, Commissioners from across the Commonwealth — including those from Mauritius (current Chair of CATA), Barbados, St Lucia, and others — participated actively throughout the discussions, bringing a rich diversity of experience and practical realities to every theme.

Key Insights Across the Three Themes

1. Workforce & Leadership for 2026 (Spotlight contributors: New Zealand, Fiji, Maldives)

Commissioners explored the central role of people and leadership in preparing tax administrations for 2026 and beyond. Key points included:

• The importance of succession planning and knowledge transfer, especially as senior staff retire.

• Preparing officers for new challenges, including digital transformation and evolving compliance risks.

• Ongoing upskilling and retraining, particularly as AI and advanced technologies are introduced.

• Strengthening staff engagement to support cultural readiness for change.

• Building staff confidence in adopting new digital tools and systems.

• Balancing compliance with empathy, ensuring fair enforcement while acknowledging taxpayer circumstances.

• The idea of a Leadership Passport to recognise and strengthen leadership competencies.

Collectively, Commissioners agreed that leadership today must be firm but agile, capable of navigating both transformation and uncertainty.

2. Budget Efficiency & Operational Prioritisation (Spotlight contributors: Rwanda, Brunei, Saint Kitts and Nevis)

With many administrations facing tighter budgets, Commissioners discussed how to sustain progress while managing constraints. Core insights included:

• Using digitalisation to streamline operations and reduce the cost of collection.

• Demonstrating return on investment to Ministries of Finance through clear data and outcomes.

• Using data‑driven decision‑making to target compliance initiatives and taxpayer education more effectively.

• Strengthening the role of data scientists and analytics teams to improve performance monitoring and risk assessment.

• Managing the reality of different digital maturity levels across administrations.

• Meeting rising government expectations to increase revenue while containing or reducing expenses.

• Ensuring continuous staff readiness through training and retraining to use new digital tools.

Commissioners also shared approaches for engaging Ministries of Finance, emphasising the importance of building trust and demonstrating tangible progress.

 3. Strategic Enforcement in a Digital, Borderless Economy (Spotlight contributors: Kenya, Seychelles, Gibraltar)

This theme explored how enforcement models must evolve alongside modern, digital economies. Key reflections included:

• Viewing enforcement beyond audits — emphasising visibility, presence, and behavioural signals.

• The transformative impact of e‑invoicing in reducing the revenue gap and ensuring real‑time compliance.

• Designing compliance activities that avoid unnecessary friction for already-compliant taxpayers.

• Using automation and integrated systems to make compliance more visible, seamless, and cost‑efficient.

• Addressing the shadow economy and identifying ways to bring informal economic activity into the digital fold.

• Ensuring tax policy remains flexible even as digital enforcement strengthens.

• The need for stronger inter‑agency and international cooperation, including data sharing and cross‑border risk management.

Commissioners highlighted that modern enforcement must be strategic, data-enabled, fair, and adaptive.

Cross‑Cutting Takeaways

During the synthesis segment, several common themes emerged across discussions:

• AI, data analytics, and e‑invoicing are becoming foundational to modern tax administration.

• People and leadership remain central to every aspect of transformation.

• International cooperation is essential to address borderless economic activity and cross-jurisdictional risks.

• Digital investments must be supported by strong evidence of impact, particularly for engaging Ministries of Finance.

• Tax administrations must increasingly be visible, customer‑centric, and data-driven, while maintaining fairness and trust.

Commissioners reaffirmed the value of this peer forum in helping leaders navigate emerging challenges and industry-wide shifts.

Looking Ahead to June 2026

Dr Abu Tariq closed the session with appreciation for the openness, effort, and experience shared by all Commissioners — especially those joining outside normal working hours.

The next Commissioners Connect will take place in June 2026, continuing the programme’s quarterly rhythm. As tax administrations accelerate digital transformation and confront new strategic pressures, Commissioners Connect remains a vital platform for collaboration, leadership development, and collective problem-solving.