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In a year of upheavals brought on by Covid-19, CEOs of some ofthe world’s most influential companieshave identifiedtalentrisk as a significant challenge to growth. Digital transformation, wider societal contributions and company purpose figure prominently on CEO agendas today, according to a new KPMG study on the evolving priorities of business leaders in 2020.

The KPMG 2020 CEO Outlook: Covid-19special editioninitially surveyed 1,300 CEOs around the world in early 2020, before the full impact of lockdowns was felt. Then, in July and August, the firm conducted a follow-up survey of 315 CEOs, to gauge how opinion had changed. In addition, 45 CEOs in the UAE participated in the survey and their findings are used to highlight significant or qualitative differences with global sentiment.

Nader Haffar, Chairman and CEO, KPMG Lower Gulf (the UAE and Oman) commented: “As the pandemic unfolded, we saw many leaders re-thinking their organizations’ purpose, while ensuring employees’ wellbeing and doubling down on digitalization efforts. Aligned with accelerated digital transformation, a key priority is ensuring that talent pipeline can meet new demands. As our research shows, corporate purpose is being redefined, so organizations can contribute solutions to the many difficulties the world faces.”

The Covid-19 crisis has served to redefine leadership and reorient CEOs’ priorities. The KPMG report outlines CEO concerns – including talent and geopolitical risk. In January, CEOs ranked talent risk behind 11 other risks to growth. However, since the start of the pandemic, talent has risen to be named as the most significant, perceived threat to their business, ahead of supply chain and environmentalrisk.

In the survey conducted after the onset of the pandemic, UAE-based CEOs indicated their sense of purpose has helped them better understand what they need to do to meet the needs of their stakeholders, finding it provides a clear framework for making effective Covid-19-related decisions. Eight in ten (79%) CEOs around the worldfelt a stronger emotional connection to their organization’s purpose since the crisis began. This may be because four in ten (39percent) have had their health, or the health of one of their family, affected by Covid-19, and over half (55percent) changed their strategic response to the pandemic as a result.

Standing up for society

According to the study, a majority of global CEOs are now engaging more with local communities where their work is based – a sign the pandemic has shifted priorities inward. During the pandemic, numerous companies played a significant role in their country’s response, from developing products and services for front-line workers to financial contributions.

At the beginning of the year, the KPMG survey found CEOs were increasingly prepared to personally lead the way in tackling society’s major challenges: around two-thirds (63 percent) said the public is looking to businesses to fill the void on societal challenges. At the same time, 76percent of global CEOs,with a comparablesentiment among their UAE-based counterparts, said they had a personal responsibility to be a ‘leader for change on societal issues’. This development has propelled environmental and social goals (ESG) to the top of the agenda for chief executives.

Accelerating digital transformation
The Covid-19 crisis slowed down global economic growth, but CEOs are more confident in growth prospects over the coming three years, according to the report. In part, this stems from greater control over levers that determine this, such as digital acceleration.

Many CEOs around the world are betting on digital transformation to make their companies more operationally resilient, agile and customer-focused. A majority (80 percent) of leaders have seen the digital transformation of their businesses accelerating during the pandemic, from customer experience, business model innovation and workforce, to the operating model.According to the UAE findings of the forthcoming KPMG 2020 Chief Information Officer (CIO) survey, 48percent of CIOs expect their organizations to “transform to re-emerge”: they will likely overhaul their IT functions to be more flexible, digitally native, and experience-centric to adjust to new business models.

The report can be downloaded here: https://home.kpmg/ae/en/home/insights/2020/10/kpmg-2020-ceo-outlook-covid-19-special-edition.html

For more information, please visit home.kpmg/CEOoutlook.

You can also follow @KPMG on LinkedIn and Twitter for updates and the conversation with #CEOoutlook.