Tackling risks head-on
Bob Moritz
Senior Partner, PwC US

Rethinking value and reshaping strategies
Economic, political and environmental instability has become a way of life for businesses globally. And risks only continue to amplify as companies globalise. Major defensive moves have already been taken, so companies are more prepared for risk today than they were in the past. The challenge now is in being able to react more quickly to the consequences of business disruption, by joining up operational and strategic approaches to managing risk.

CEOs are telling us
CEOs globally are keenly aware of macro-economic risks: 80% say that uncertainty and volatility threatens their growth prospects, and over half were directly affected by the European sovereign debt crisis. Concerns have a regional flavour with currency volatility and energy costs a worry for CEOs in Asia Pacific business leaders and underdeveloped infrastructure a threat to growth for CEOs in Latin America. 67% of CEOs say they're planning changes to their risk management approach.

Collaborating to achieve global economic stability
Norbert Winkeljohann
Senior Partner, PwC Germany

Rethinking value and reshaping strategies
As companies continue to grow in new markets, they face a growing body of disparate, complex and often unclear regulations. But neither the public nor private sector can tackle these inconsistencies on their own. Increased collaboration - whether through partnerships or increased communication and coordination - is happening in areas such as education, infrastructure development and health care. Effective partnership models – better communication, improved coordination, and true collaboration will be key for businesses to continue to grow and change in a more interconnected world.

CEOs are telling us
56% of CEOs globally think over-regulation threatens their growth prospects. So it's important that government and businesses don't work in isolation. One area where CEOs see a role for both the public and private sector is workforce development. 47% think this should be a government priority and 71% plan to increase their own investment in this area.

Building competitiveness; new models for growth
Dennis Nally
Chairman, PricewaterhouseCoopers International

Rethinking value and reshaping strategies
Competitiveness is today more than ever defined by how companies are adapting to the growing shift of economic power to emerging markets. In order to understand what value means in different markets, businesses are challenged to become more local in their global growth strategies. This means being in the right businesses in the right markets, balancing local execution with global capabilities, and innovating to meet specific local needs.

CEOs are telling us
When companies emerge from this period of economic volatility, they will be operating in a very different global economy than they were going in. 59% of CEOs globally think emerging markets are more important to their companies' future than developed markets. Across their priority overseas markets, about half of CEOs are looking to access the local talent base, and about a quarter say they're building local innovation capacity.

Rebuilding trust in organisations
Ian Powell
Senior Partner, PwC UK

Rethinking value and reshaping strategies
Trust is built over time, but can be lost in an instant. In recent years, the focus has been on the failings of business with little credit given to the positive contribution that business makes to the economy and society in general. Businesses are becoming more attuned to changing expectations and are working to gain the support of communities, including governments, employees and investors. Companies are also rethinking how success is measured, by looking beyond financial metrics. Just as important is communicating the vital contribution that business brings to society - and why business can and should be trusted.

CEOs are telling us
Rebuilding trust is on the CEO agenda - half of CEOs globally anticipate making changes in how they manage their corporate reputation in order to rebuild trust. A majority of CEOs are also planning investment to improve overall living and working conditions where they operate. And an equal number are investing in educational systems and training programmes.

Harnessing talent for growth
Silas Yang
Chairman, PwC Asia

Rethinking value and reshaping strategies
Talent shortages and mismatches are clearly impacting companies' growth strategies. In fact, talent is probably the most urgent issue facing companies today. As a result, managing talent continues to be at the top of the CEO agenda, with 78% of CEOs telling us that they plan to change their talent strategies in the coming year. The challenge is for business leaders to get more systematic and strategic about how they manage their workforces and ensure they have the right people in the right place at the right time.

CEOs are telling us
It's hard to imagine that business leaders are struggling with finding the right people to fill positions. One in four CEOs globally said talent constraints affected their ability to pursue a market opportunity or strategic initiative. And one in three said it affected their company's ability to innovate. Over 70% of CEOs say they plan to increase investment in creating and fostering a skilled workforce, and about half think workforce development should be a government priority.