Industry focus

Asset management

80% of asset management CEOs express confidence about revenue growth
Over 75% of CEOs plan to grow operations in Asia, Africa and Latin America
65% of CEOs want to spend more time on leadership and talent development

Automotive

Automotive CEOs see China as key to future growth
Sector CEOs are making innovation a priority
The talent crunch is real and it could get worse. 46% of automotive CEOs say it's getting tougher to hire in their industry

Banking and capital markets

74% of BCM CEOs are planning a change in strategy over the next 12 months
New regulations most common reason for changing strategy
74% of BCM CEOs are planning to change approach to managing talent

Chemicals

66% of chemicals CEOs see emerging markets as the most promising sources of future growth
83% believe they can generate higher revenues this year
But 42% say talent constraints have impeded their company’s ability to innovate

Communications

Fifty percent of all of the Communications industry CEOs are very optimistic about achieving increased revenues in 2012
CEOs in the Communications industry are much more likely than their counterparts in other industries to be contemplating fundamental strategic changes in the year ahead
Nearly half of Communications industry CEOs expect to outsource a business function in 2012

Entertainment and media

E&M CEOs’ key challenge is to keep pace with the changing consumer
E&M CEOs are reducing their emphasis on restructuring and building focus on collaboration
Lack of talent is a major hurdle―but one that E&M CEOs are confident of surmounting

Financial services

48% of financial services CEOs believe that skills shortages threaten growth
Skills shortages have forced 25% of financial services CEOs to delay or cancel a key strategic initiative over the past 12 months

Forest, paper & packaging

FPP CEOs are gloomy about the economy and their own short-term growth prospects
63% of FPP CEOs expect to change strategy this year
Headcounts are down, but over 40% of FPP CEOs still say it’s getting harder to hire talent

Healthcare

78% of healthcare CEOs are focusing on the development of new products or services within existing business models
22% of healthcare CEOs are focusing on geographic expansion, and only 9% on their home markets
28% of healthcare CEOs―more than double the overall average―plan to complete M&As this year

Industrial manufacturing

35% of industrial manufacturing CEOs think new products and services are the main route to growth
84% of industrial manufacturing CEOs are changing R&D and innovation capacity this year
Nearly half of industrial manufacturing CEOs say it's becoming harder to hire talent, and 71% want to spend more time developing the talent and leadership pipeline

Insurance

70% of insurance CEOs are planning a change in strategy over the next 12 months
New regulation and economic uncertainty are the most common reasons for changing strategy
82% of insurance CEOs are planning to change their strategy for managing talent

Metals

Metals CEOs are gloomy about the economy, growth prospects
75% worry about energy costs
Innovation is helping; 80% are increasing their focus on improving processes

Pharmaceuticals and life sciences

Nearly half of all pharma and life sciences CEOs are very confident they can increase their company’s revenues in both the near and mid term
They think the main opportunities for growth lie in new product and service development
Two-fifths plan to invest in technologies or partner with other organisations to circumvent skills shortages

Public sector

Public Sector entities are facing significant pressure from budget deficits
Public Sector agencies need to develop plans for sustainable or "good" growth in their territories
There are significant issues related to the attraction and retention of talented staff

Retail and consumer

Demand in industrialised markets is faltering.
But the consumer base in emerging markets is growing.
And digitalisation is changing customer behaviour radically, so retail and consumer companies' strategies are changing too.

Technology

Most tech CEOs are confident that their businesses will grow in the next year.
Tech growth will be driven by innovation and will come from both existing and emerging markets.
Having the right talent in the right location is not only a key to success but also an increasing challenge.

Transportation and logistics

Economic uncertainty weighing on confidence
Coping with talent constraints a key concern for T&L
Still room to improve on coping with supply chain disruptions

15th Annual Global CEO Survey

Contacts

Sophie Lambin: Director, Global Thought Leadership; Tel: +44 (0) 20 7213 3160

Download

Download PDF

Download PDF

View all downloads

© 2010-2012 PwC. All rights reserved. "PwC" refers to the network of member firms of PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited (PwCIL), or, as the context requires, individual member firms of the PwC network. Each member firm is a separate legal entity and does not act as agent of PwCIL or any other member firm. PwCIL does not provide any services to clients. PwCIL is not responsible or liable for the acts or omissions of any of its member firms nor can it control the exercise of their professional judgment or bind them in any way. No member firm is responsible or liable for the acts or omissions of any other member firm nor can it control the exercise of another member firm's professional judgment or bind another member firm or PwCIL in any way.