Giles holds specialized expertise in public policy analysis, international development, and public financial management. He holds extensive experience in providing strategic policy advice across areas such as economic policy, taxation, public financial management and budget policy. Giles also holds experience in organizing and leading high-level political and stakeholder engagements with parliamentarians, public officials, business leaders, and civil society organizations.
Giles experience in public policy includes his role as Senior Economist at the International Growth Centre (IGC) during the COVID-19 pandemic, Economic Advisor (PFM) to the Joint Public Accounts Committee of the Myanmar parliament and economist in the Tax Analysis Division of the Federal Treasury of Australia.
Case Study: Developing Budget Oversight Capacity in Myanmar
Problem
The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) engaged me to provide expert economic advice to Myanmar’s Joint National Public Accounts Committee (JPAC). Supported by the European Commission, the project aimed to strengthen the budget oversight capacity of Myanmar’s parliament, which was crucial in the context of recent economic reforms and the country’s emerging democratic institutions. The challenge was to enhance the institutional capabilities of the JPAC and its regional counterparts, while also fostering decentralized governance for peace and inclusive growth.
My role as Senior Economist and advisor on public financial management (PFM) involved leading efforts to improve the parliament’s capacity for budget oversight and providing strategic leadership to the wider team of international experts.
Approach
Working closely with the Team Leader, I led a team of international experts to support the JPAC in building its institutional capacity. My efforts were focused on providing direct advisory support to members of the JPAC, organizing training for parliamentary staff and civil servants in related institutions, such as the Ministry of Finance, and facilitating national conferences to bring together budget committees from across the country. These events served as platforms for knowledge-sharing and collaboration among parliamentarians, public officials, business leaders, diplomats, and international experts.
In addition to training sessions on applied policy analysis, Microsoft Excel, and forecasting, I helped design a comprehensive program of long-term support for Myanmar’s legislature.
Impact
Our work received commendation from senior members of the parliament, the JPAC, regional budget committees, and key stakeholders, including the European Commission. The program directly enhanced the budget analysis capabilities of parliamentary staff and contributed to strengthening Myanmar’s budget oversight institutions.
Key Achievements
- Designed and organized high-profile budget oversight workshops and national conferences with participation from parliamentarians, public sector officials, business leaders, diplomats, and international experts.
- Delivered targeted training to improve parliamentary staff’s skills in budget analysis, Microsoft Excel, policy analysis, and forecasting.
- Contributed to the development of a long-term support program for Myanmar’s legislature, enhancing its institutional capacity for future governance challenges.