What’s important to the CEO in 2026: PwC

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What’s important to the CEO in 2026

Executive insights

Five topics shaping the chief executive’s agenda

Increasing value by shaping the future Chief executives live in tension—balancing today’s needs against tomorrow’s opportunities and challenges. It’s a given that disruption now comes from all directions—geopolitics, tariffs, interest rates, regulations, climate change, technology. What matters is wisely shaping your organization’s future, so it can create value no matter the macro conditions. A tight link between strategic decisions and financial outcomes is the CEO’s mandate and responsibility. AI, deals, industry convergence, decarbonization—these can all be value-creating events for executives who create agile, entrepreneurial, and decisive organizations.

In the spotlight Leading through uncertainty in the age of AI Today’s CEOs need both a microscope and a telescope — managing near-term threats while spotting long-term opportunity. In PwC’s 29th Global CEO Survey, 4,454 chief executives share how they’re responding to macroeconomic volatility, cyber risk, and geopolitical conflict, even as they invest in AI, prioritize innovation, and reinvent their businesses. One finding stands out: CEOs who move faster on reinvention outperform their peers. See what’s shaping their decisions and what it means for yours.

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[30%] of CEOs report increased revenue from AI in the last 12 months.

Source: PwC's 29th Global CEO Survey

Explore related C-suite insights CFO COO Where to focus in 2026 [Artificial intelligence] Reshape your workforce to unlock AI’s value [Strategy and growth] Building a system for sustainable growth [Value creation] Portfolio review for value creation [Board governance] Upskill your board [Regulation and policy] Stay ahead of geopolitical disruption Artificial intelligence Reshape your workforce to unlock AI’s value Figuring out the return on investment in AI is as much a measurement problem as it is a people problem. Automation programs should triangulate data points from process and task mining to give them a more complete and accurate ROI target to track. But the greatest ROI may come from unleashing the creative juices of employees empowered to experiment and use AI and agentic AI. Multi-agent systems are maturing rapidly, and as they become more powerful, product development will shift from periodic sprints to continuous cycles of learning, testing, and refinement. This acceleration isn’t merely digital—imagine your workforce scaling new ways of working, adapting quickly, and operating effectively. This new way of working is strategically reshaping the future. How these companies work is how they win.

Top insights Artificial intelligence
Your workforce could double—thanks to AI agents AI is reshaping how work gets done, accelerating revenue growth, and redrawing the lines between people and technology.

Artificial intelligence AI agents spur a complete reimagining of work and your workforce AI agents can enable companies to make strategic moves at a pace and magnitude that was previously unimaginable.

Workforce The Fearless Future: 2025 Global AI Jobs Barometer Examination of nearly a billion job ads uncovers AI’s effect on jobs, skills, wages, and productivity.

Value creation How to create measurable outcomes through digital transformation Digital value transformation can help your company more quickly achieve tangible outcomes.

[9 out of 10] executives say their company will increase AI-related budgets this year due to agentic AI

Source: PwC AI Agent Survey, May 2025

Explore related C-suite insights CAIO CFO CIO CISO COO Strategy and growth Building a system for sustainable growth To deliver consistent growth, CEOs may need to step off the treadmill of searching for revenue uplift in places where they have no fundamental advantage. The alternative? Focus on building a fundamental engine of long-term growth. PwC research reveals that the highest-performing organizations invest in a growth system—an integrated collection of capabilities and assets. We call them growth champions. Learning from them is worth the effort. In our research, growth champions earned an average valuation of 4.2x revenue versus 2.8x sales for growth leaders.

Top insights Strategy and growth Create a system to grow consistently Learn how top performers are investing in a growth system by integrating capabilities and assets for short- and long-term success.

Strategy and growth Flip the cost cutting script to protect growth areas and strategic investments Making wise decisions about what is (and is not) a productivity- and a growth-enhancing expense can secure your company’s future.

Tariffs How businesses can own their next move as trade, regulations shift The administration continues to pursue a US-first economic agenda centered on reshoring manufacturing, cutting regulations, and reshaping trade and tax policy.

Operations Formula 1®: Rewiring the future of race operations From setup to teardown, everything leads to one moment: the green lights. PwC is helping F1 design operations built for sustainability, resilience, and speed.

[Only 11%] of companies generated multiyear revenue increases in our sustaining growth study

Source: PwC, “Create a system to grow consistently”

Explore related C-suite insights Board CFO CIO COO Value creation Portfolio review for value creation In a world of converging industries, shifting capital flows and evolving investor expectations, value creation often means making strategic choices to realize value as markets change. Our research finds that to boost returns on equity, executives should include a system for periodically reviewing which assets no longer fit as the world changes. Leaders who regularly scrutinize which businesses to keep, and which to sell or carve out, have a better chance of coming out on top. PwC’s research also finds that leaders involved in deals sometimes leave value on the table in technology, tax, and talent. Target these areas so that merged companies possess more efficient operating models, capitalize on government incentives, and use tech to integrate faster. Savings in these areas, along with divestitures, can help provide funds that can be reinvested in businesses that are more likely to create long-term value.

Top insights Value creation Three ideas to unlock additional value creation in M&A integration New thinking has emerged to expand value creation and drive more sustained outcomes for acquirers from technology, tax, and talent.

Strategy and growth How leading CEOs and CFOs are treating portfolio reviews as core strategy The portfolio review process is no longer just about improvement—it’s about allocating the next dollar efficiently, increasing competitiveness, and driving value creation at enterprise scale.

Divestitures GE: Pioneering a new era See how PwC worked hand-in-hand with GE, from consulting to execution, to form three new companies.

Value creation From stagnation to innovation: Make business model reinvention real A practical guide for reimagining how your company creates, delivers, and captures value.

[75%] of executives say they’re either in the scenario planning stage or actually taking steps to pursue new M&A

Source: PwC Pulse Survey, May 2025

Explore related C-suite insights Board CFO Head of corporate development Board governance Upskill your board
Corporate directors can make a critical difference between success and failure in today’s tumultuous world. Nine of 10 CEOs say they’d like to replace one or more directors, according to our Board Effectiveness Survey. But if the board can’t be refreshed, CEOs are instead turning to upskilling. That means executives are advocating for more in-depth reporting to the board, regular C-suite engagement with the board outside of scheduled meetings and bringing in external specialists to improve director oversight of strategy and risk of new innovations such as AI.

Top insights Board effectiveness Five ways to improve executive interactions with the board Your time with the board is limited, so preparation is key. Learn practical tips for effective board communication.

Board governance Why boards should evaluate individual director performance Assessing a director’s performance helps identify skill gaps, improve dynamics, and accelerate changes in board composition.

Board governance Board effectiveness: A survey of the C-suite How effective is your board in its oversight role around key business risks?

[Only 32%] of executives believe their board has the right expertise

Source: Board effectiveness: A survey of the C-suite

Explore related C-suite insights Board CFO CRO Legal officer Regulation and policy Stay ahead of geopolitical disruption One shift in tariffs, tax policy, or AI regulation can instantly disrupt your cost base, supply chain, and revenue. Leaders who connect the dots can plan for multiple scenarios and move before competitors react. Maintaining a clear, connected view of performance, systems, and strategy can help you and your company stay resilient, make sharper decisions under pressure, and safeguard value. In this environment, readiness isn’t merely resilience—it’s a launchpad.

Top insights Tariffs How businesses can own their next move as trade, regulations shift The administration continues to pursue a US-first economic agenda centered on reshoring manufacturing, cutting regulations, and reshaping trade and tax policy.

Tax and trade Translating the One Big Beautiful Bill Act into corporate strategy
Among its many changes, the OBBB could expand corporate finance options, change where a company’s intellectual property is located, and make it more attractive to reshore operations.

Tariffs Turn tariff and trade disruptions into strategic opportunities PwC’s real-time, data-driven insights can help you mitigate risks, find opportunity, and make confident decisions in a tumultuous world.

[57%] of executives say they’re missing opportunities because they can’t make decisions fast enough

Source: PwC Pulse Survey, May 2025

Explore related C-suite insights Board CFO CRO Tax leader Explore executive insights Identify the key focus areas of your colleagues.

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