To the point: Swiss edition of PwC’s 28th Annual Global CEO Survey
PwC Switzerland
Our purpose is to build trust in society and solve important problems.
Welcome to the latest edition of our monthly newsletter, where we turn complex topics into clear, insightful takeaways - keeping you informed and ahead of the curve. In this issue, we dive into the Swiss edition of PwC’s 28th Annual Global CEO Survey, uncovering key insights into how CEOs are navigating today’s most pressing challenges.
Building on the findings from the past two years, this year’s survey takes a deeper look at the megatrends shaping business transformation and the concrete actions CEOs are taking to adapt, innovate and stay resilient.
The current pulse
CEOs in Switzerland are striving for safety and security to maintain their status as a trusted market. This is reflected by the fact that they still view cyber risks as their top threat, with 37% saying that they feel highly or extremely exposed (the percentage is slightly higher than in 2023). In addition to cybersecurity, geopolitical conflicts and macroeconomic volatility are also significant concerns. Swiss business leaders, however, are less focused on inflation and economic instability compared to their global peers.
Two defining issues
Artificial intelligence: CEOs in Switzerland have a positive outlook on AI adoption, with a significant focus on integrating generative AI (GenAI) into various aspects of their businesses.
Notably, 84% of CEOs reported that their organisations had adopted GenAI in the past 12 months. This marks a dramatic increase from last year, when only 16% reported using GenAI, highlighting a shift from initial reluctance to enthusiastic adoption.
Climate and Sustainability: In the last five years, 9 of out 10 CEOs in Switzerland have initiated climate-friendly investments, putting them at the forefront worldwide.
However, only around a quarter of CEOs worldwide have not accepted rates of return for climate-friendly investments that were lower than the minimum acceptable rate of return used for other investments.
Business as (un)usual
To stay relevant, Swiss companies are stepping up collaboration, for example between sectors and academia, to leverage AI and other emerging technologies. CEOs recognise that future competitiveness will depend on differentiating products and services while also capturing new customer segments.
Three out of four (75%) of CEOs in Switzerland have developed innovative products or services in the last five years; over half (56%) have focused on expanding their customer base and 59% have collaborated with new organisations.
Continual transformation
Decision quality: Four out of five CEOs (79%) in Switzerland make the criteria for determining strategic decisions transparent, 72% discuss the decision as part of the firm’s overall portfolio of decisions, and 70% take the time to consider whether they are pursuing the wrong opportunities.
Reallocation efforts: 47% of CEOs have reallocated 1% to 10% of their company’s financial resources, and 56% have reallocated 1% to 10% of their company’s human resources in the last year.
Trusting the transformation process: Four out of five CEOs (85%) in Switzerland are confident in their strategic planning process, 84% in their budgeting process and 80% in their risk management processes.
Navigating transformation for viability: Over half (57%) of CEOs in Switzerland are confident that their business will last over 10 years.
Solving the AI trust equation: Less than a third (27%) of CEOs in Switzerland have a high degree of personal trust in having AI embedded into key business processes. However, 4 out 5 (85%) CEOs in Switzerland predict that AI will be systematically integrated into business processes and workflows, 78% into technology platforms and 75% into workforce and skills.
💡Subscribe to receive all future issues of PwC Switzerland's monthly "To the point" newsletter!