Finding opportunity in uncertainty
Welcome to our seventh annual KPMG CEO Outlook
I’m pleased to share with you our 2022 KPMG Irish CEO Outlook. It looks at the strategic priorities identified by business leaders in the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and around the world as they navigate an ever-evolving business landscape.
At home and abroad, CEOs have been tested by significant challenges in quick succession — a global pandemic, inflationary pressures and geopolitical tensions.
The global economy is currently facing significant headwinds and many businesses are having to adapt quickly to manage the impact of this. While Ireland is not immune to these challenges, it is clear from the results in our report that Irish CEOs believe that the economy is resilient and remains in a strong position relative to other markets thus enabling it to weather this storm. While Irish CEOs are navigating short-term challenges, they are very confident in the growth prospects for their companies and the local economy over the next three years.
Over the past few years, CEOs have shown great resilience in rising to the challenges set by a constantly evolving environment including realigning their workforces, untangling supply chain disruption and adapting to geopolitical and economic impacts.
Equally, it has become evident that ESG is now centre stage in the boardroom. As our survey affirms, the ESG agenda is fundamental to a sustainable future and is seen as vital to profitability by a growing number of CEOs in Ireland and worldwide.
Meanwhile, the future of work is constantly evolving. There is a clear pattern where the office remains central to collaboration, innovation and building working relationships and this is complemented by the flexibility of hybrid working.
Finally, our thanks to all the business leaders in Ireland and overseas who contributed to our CEO Outlook 2022 by sharing their invaluable insights.
