
A PwC survey has indicated a surge in optimism among global CEOs, with nearly 60% expecting an increase in global economic growth over the next twelve months.
The 28th Annual Global CEO Survey, which gathered insights from 4,701 CEOs across 109 countries, also suggests a significant number of companies plan to expand their workforce.
The PwC survey, released during the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, reveals that 42% of CEOs are planning to grow their headcount by at least 5% in the coming year.
Smaller companies valued under $100m and those in sectors such as technology, real estate, private equity, and pharma and life sciences are particularly bullish.
Despite the overall positive outlook, CEOs are wary of several risks.
Macroeconomic volatility and inflation are the top global concerns, though regional differences are evident.
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By GlobalDataFor instance, geopolitical conflict is the predominant worry in the Middle East and Central and Eastern Europe, while Western Europe is more concerned about cyber risks and the shortage of skilled workers.
PwC global chairman Mohamed Kande said: “This year’s CEO Survey findings highlight a stark juxtaposition – business leaders around the world are optimistic about the year ahead, but also know they must re-invent how they create, deliver and capture value.”
A striking finding is that four out of ten CEOs believe their companies will not survive the next decade without significant changes.
Regulatory shifts are frequently cited as a major influence on their businesses’ economic viability.
However, CEOs are not passive in the face of these challenges and 63% have taken steps to alter their company’s value creation and delivery in the past five years, which has reportedly led to higher profit margins.
Business model reinvention is also on the agenda, with 38% of CEOs stating they have entered at least one new sector in the last five years, contributing substantially to company revenue.
However, the survey indicates that the pace of such reinvention is slow, and many companies lack agility, with half of the CEOs reallocating 10% or less of resources annually.
CEOs report that the implementation of GenAI has yielded efficiency gains and revenue increases, although the outcomes have not fully met last year’s expectations.
PwC Global and US commercial technology and innovation officer Matt Wood said: “This year’s survey shows a more mature view of GenAI in the enterprise.”
Finally, the survey highlights the financial impact of climate-related investments.
CEOs report that these investments are more likely to have boosted revenue rather than decreased it, with a majority stating that such investments have either cut costs or not significantly affected them.