This year's CEO Survey found that over half of CEOs (57 percent) in The Netherlands have completed a cross-border merger or acquisition in the past 12 months (compared to 24 percent globally), and a remarkable 70 percent are planning cross border M&A activity in coming year. Western Europe is the key region for this M&A activity. In fact 53 percent of respondents in The Netherlands feel that M&A will play a greater role in their organisation over the next three years (compared to 30 percent globally). However, these CEOs do acknowledge that realising the expected value of the transaction, the backlash against foreign presence in local markets and stakeholder opposition are likely to emerge as obstacles to mergers or acquisitions.
Roughly a third (30 percent) of respondents in The Netherlands see geographic expansion as an opportunity to grow their business in the next 12 months; while they regard improved customer service as the main source of competitive advantage, they also acknowledge the importance of such qualities as the ability to adapt to change, cross-cultural resources and sole access to scarce resources. Finally, as a sign perhaps of future attitudes, 50 percent of respondents in The Netherlands feel that climate change will benefit their business economically.
