15th Annual Global CEO Survey
Embracing volatility
The rise in investment and commerce to and from emerging economies – more pronounced than in any period over the past decade – is lending support to CEO confidence despite today's economic volatility. Half of CEOs in developed markets believe emerging economies are more important to their company’s future than the developed markets they're currently in, as do 68% of CEOs who are themselves based in emerging markets.
The strength of cross-border ties.
CEOs believe that the forces of global integration will stay on track: 45% believe the world will become more open to free international trade (with fewer than a third expecting a pullback) and 56% are convinced that cross-border capital flows will not come under new constraints.
Key Findings
Local approaches to global growth
CEOs are committed to expanding local customer bases in their priority markets. But rather than simply exporting products, they're building diverse local operations, from services capabilities to manufacturing capacity. Critically, they're changing their product mix – and sometimes their entire operating models – to meet very local needs and conditions. |
Risk resilience
Shored up balance sheets and more flexible supply chains have helped. But there's still plenty for CEOs to worry about. For example, most CEOs in Western Europe are concerned about instability in capital markets. Currency volatility is a potential constraint in Asia Pacific, while rising taxes and over-regulation loom large for CEOs in Latin America. |
Facing the talent challenge
Skills shortages are having a real impact on growth. One in four CEOs said they’ve had to cancel or delay a strategic initiative because of talent constraints. Rising compensation is one factor, but for more CEOs, there is simply a deficit of qualified candidates at a time when more CEOs expect to expand their workforces than to reduce. |
Innovating on multiple fronts
The innovation priority remains: Almost a third of CEOs believe that their biggest opportunities for growth lie in developing new products and services. CEOs in the communications, and media and entertainment sectors are the most active on all fronts, whether it means refocusing innovation efforts for existing products and services or for entirely new products in new models. |
Contacts
Sophie Lambin
Director, Global Thought Leadership PricewaterhouseCoopers International Tel: +44 (20) 7213 3160 |