Asia Pacific CEOs are gearing up for significant business reinvention, despite facing immediate challenges, as outlined in PwC’s 29th Global CEO Survey.
The study analysed responses from 1,766 CEOs across the region and revealed that over a third (37%) plan to venture beyond their traditional industry sectors in the next three years.
This intention reflects a growing appetite for new growth avenues in adjacent, fast-paced markets, such as technology, health services, asset management, transportation, retail, and industrial manufacturing.
Leaders who have already diversified into new sectors are seeing positive outcomes; more than half (52%) report that over 10% of their revenue in the past five years has derived from these new ventures. This indicates that the strategy of pursuing expansion into unfamiliar industries is yielding tangible benefits.
Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a central element of this transformation. Notably, 39% of Asia Pacific CEOs recognised that AI contributed to additional revenues over the past year, outperforming their global counterparts at 30%.
Moreover, 26% have experienced cost reductions through AI implementation, and 15% have managed to achieve both simultaneously. However, the deployment of AI is uneven.
Only 26% of organisations have established strong foundations in key areas such as technology environment, strategy, and Responsible AI. Those firms with robust AI frameworks are twice as likely to report revenue increases and cost savings.
Hemione Hudson, chair and CEO of PwC China, noted that AI has evolved into essential infrastructure for future competitiveness. With 17% of Chinese Mainland CEOs achieving both reductions in costs and increases in revenue through AI, there is a clear demonstration of the capabilities of Chinese AI on a global scale.
Despite these optimistic trends, CEO confidence is wavering. While 59% anticipate an improvement in global economic conditions over the next year, only 21% express strong confidence in their own revenue prospects—down from 34% in 2025. Cyber threats are now perceived as the predominant risk, surpassing economic pressures and diminishing CEO confidence in navigating the evolving landscape.
As CEOs focus on immediate challenges, with 79% of their attention dedicated to short- to medium-term priorities, the question remains whether they can maintain the capacity for essential long-term transformations. Mohamed Kande emphasised the urgency of decisive actions and innovative investments as critical to seizing future opportunities.
