CEOs Say They Are Ready to Lead Beyond Business

Egon Zehnder’s 2024 survey reveals that a majority of chief executives feel a responsibility to help solve societal problems

ZURICH & BERLIN -- (BUSINESS WIRE) --

Egon Zehnder, the world's preeminent executive search and leadership advisory firm, today released the results of its latest Global CEO Survey at the Berlin Global Dialogue, which is taking place under the theme "Building Common Ground."

The survey, which polled more than 470 CEOs from around the world, highlights the unprecedented changes business leaders foresee in the coming decade and, more importantly, their responsibility in addressing complex global challenges:

• 95% of CEOs expect significant, systemic shifts in the economy, geopolitics, energy and technology over the next decade.
• 80% of CEOs acknowledge an expanded role beyond leading their companies, positioning themselves as key players in shaping new societal realities.

The majority of CEOs also believe they can find common ground with other stakeholders, with climate change emerging as the top priority (32%), followed by regulating AI (30%) and promoting a fairer global economy (13%).

"Political shifts, including the concerning rise of right-winged movements, are increasingly relevant to CEOs. Promoting dialogue between leaders from business and politics is hence more crucial than ever," said Lars-Hendrik Röller, Founder and Chair of the Berlin Global Dialogue.

When asked about the importance of adaptive skills for the future, CEOs prioritized “cultivating a culture of openness and curiosity” (99%).

"CEOs are embracing a new era of leadership," said Michael Ensser, Global Chair of Egon Zehnder. "They are positioning themselves as key architects of societal progress. As complexity increases, they recognize that fostering curiosity and openness within their organisations will be critical to meeting the challenges ahead."

The full report "The CEO Response" is available for download at: https://www.egonzehnder.com/the-ceo-response

About the Berlin Global Dialogue

The Berlin Global Dialogue unites leaders from business, policy, and academia to develop joint solutions for the most pressing challenges impacting the global economy. Established in 2022, it emerged from the economic, political, and social realities of the twenty-first century. Founded with the mission to strengthen the dialogue between different stakeholders, the annual summit convenes select high-level participants for candid, eye-level exchanges in interactive formats that highlight diverse perspectives and facilitate cross-disciplinary collaboration. Berlin Global Dialogue is embedded in ESMT Berlin, one of Germany’s leading business schools.

https://www.berlinglobaldialogue.org/

About Egon Zehnder

Egon Zehnder is the world’s preeminent leadership advisory firm, inspiring leaders to navigate complex questions with human answers. We help organizations get to the heart of their leadership challenges and offer honest feedback and insights to help leaders realize their true being and purpose.

We are built on a foundation that supports partnership in the truest sense of the word and aligns our interests with those of our clients. Our 600 consultants across 65 offices and 36 countries are former industry and functional leaders who collaborate seamlessly across geographies, industries and functions to deliver the full power of the Firm to every client, every time.

We partner closely with public and private corporations, family-owned enterprises, and non-profit and government agencies to provide executive search, leadership solutions, CEO search and succession, board advisory, and diversity, equity & inclusion.

Our services include discovering leaders, developing leadership, advancing governance, shaping successions and unlocking transformations. We partner with Mobius Executive Leadership to offer highly experiential, personalized and transformational programs for senior leaders.

We believe that together we can transform people, organizations and the world through leadership.