Accelerating Europe's digital transformation

Insights on global innovation, public service modernisation and strategic autonomy

Friends of Europe’s Dharmendra Kanani engages Girish Ramachandran, President of Growth Markets and Global Head of Public Services at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), in a wide-ranging conversation on Europe’s digital future, viewed through a global lens. Drawing on experiences from India, the Middle East and Asia, the discussion explores how Europe can turn trust, regulation and sustainability into strategic advantages in an increasingly fragmented digital world.

As geopolitical uncertainty and data dependency intensify, the conversation examines Europe’s capacity to strengthen digital, data and operational sovereignty, while addressing long-standing challenges such as technical debt in public services. Ramachandran argues that secure digital public infrastructure, cybersecurity-by-design and interoperable systems can help modernise public services, reduce costs and improve citizen access across Europe.

The discussion also introduces the concept of “beneficial intelligence”, which combines artificial, human and emotional intelligence, as a uniquely European pathway for AI development, alongside ideas such as digital sandboxes, digital passports and sustainability-driven innovation. Together, these approaches point to how Europe can pioneer a resilient, trusted and human-centric digital transformation at home, while shaping global standards abroad.

#CriticalThinkingLive is the latest expansion in our #CriticalThinking family, bringing influential voices from across a range of sectors to challenge, inspire and influence current thinking on the biggest issues facing Europe and the world. 

Follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram and join the #CriticalThinkingLive discussion!

Related contents:

• Event | Safeguarding openness and fair competition for a competitive Europe
• Insight | Prepare, Provide, Pioneer: Europe’s next chapter built on trust
  
• Podcast | Policy Voices | How China is shaping the future of AI

Our events include photos, audio and video recording that we might use for promotional purposes. By registering you expressly confirm that you have read and understood Friends of Europe privacy policy. Should you have any questions, please contact us on privacy@friendsofeurope.org.

PHOTO CREDIT: TCS | Girish Ramachandran