The initiatives aimed at developing the next generation of top civil servants seek to ensure continuity in the leadership of government institutions and to provide today’s top executives with worthy successors. To this end, the Centre of Excellence in Public Service Leadership launched the Newton Leadership Succession Program in 2008 and the Leadership Talent Program in 2012. These programs are funded by institutional and Government Office budgets as well as the European Union structural funds.
Activities aimed at succession will be financed in 2024–2029 through the European Union project "„Avaliku teenistuse tippjuhtide innovatsioonivõimekuse tõstmine läbi juhtimiskvaliteedi arendamise“.
More broadly, the State Administration Department of the Ministry of Finance is responsible for developing the public service and cultivating a strong talent pipeline for mid-level management. Until the end of 2023, this work was carried out by the State Administration and Public Service Department in cooperation with the State Shared Service Center.
Newton Program
The Newton Program aims to identify talented mid-level managers within the public sector who have the ambition and potential to advance to top civil servant positions. It prepares them for greater responsibilities and encourages them to apply for top leadership competitions.
In 2023, the Centre of Excellence in Public Service Leadership implemented the sixth edition of the Newton Program in collaboration with EBS Executive Education OÜ. The Government Office has been committed to developing future top civil servants for 16 years, since the inaugural Newton Program was conducted in 2008–2009 in partnership with EBS Management Training Center. Subsequent programs were carried out as follows: 2010–2011 in cooperation with the Public Service Development and Training Center; 2012–2013 in collaboration with the Praxis Center for Policy Studies; 2016 in partnership with Praxis Center for Policy Studies and the Estonian Design Center; Newton V (2019–2021) organized by the Government Office in cooperation with the Praxis Center for Policy Studies and TalTech Ragnar Nurkse Department of Innovation and Governance.
Newton Program
The program was named after the scientist Isaac Newton, who formulated the equation for acceleration.
Over the years, 27 participants of the Newton Program have been appointed as top civil servants.
Currently, three of them – Katrin Juhandi, Erkki Tori, and Mari-Liis Sööt – hold top leadership positions at the Government Office. Other distinguished alumni include Klen Jäärats, Lauri Lugna, Viola Murd, Tuuli Duneton, Rait Kuuse, Tarvi Sits, Siim Tiidemann, Luukas Kristjan Ilves, Birgit Lao, Heddi Lutterus, Tiina Uudeberg, Evelin Pärn-Lee, Antti Tooming, Nele Labi, Margo Palloson, Sigrid Soomlais, and many other esteemed leaders in the public sector.
In total, 126 high-potential future executives have successfully completed the Newton Program. Notably, nearly 60% of participants have experienced a positive career transition upon completing the program.
Leadership Talent Program
The Leadership Talent Program aims to attract young professionals with strong leadership potential to the public service and to develop them into a capable next generation of top executives who share common values.
To date, the program has been conducted three times:
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First cohort (2012–2014)
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Second cohort (2015–2017)
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Third cohort (2018–2020)
A total of 24 leadership talents have successfully completed the program.
The program offers participants intensive training and diverse work experience within the public service, providing a comprehensive understanding of its operations and paving the way for future top leadership roles. What sets the Leadership Talent Program apart is the unique opportunity to experience public service from a top executive’s perspective. Each selected candidate is assigned a fixed-term position within a government agency or ministry, working closely with a director general, secretary general, or deputy secretary general.
Estonia’s public service talent management program is implemented by government agencies that have expressed interest in participating, in cooperation with the Top Executive Competence Center.
Last updated: 07.11.2025
