On the heels of the pandemic, CEOs are now facing another turbulent period. Our latest CEO Outlook is being released amid a business environment marred by high inflation, geopolitical tensions and fears of a recession. But the resilience shown during the most challenging days of COVID-19 bodes well for the future.

Featuring insights from more than 1,300 CEOs at large companies globally, including 400 in the United States, the survey finds a majority of U.S. CEOs confident about growth over the next three years and the resilience of their companies in the near term, as they have been preparing for a recession by implementing new strategies to drive efficiency and expansion. They are set on transformative growth via mergers and acquisitions, with a majority considering making strategic deals to propel their businesses.

CEOs are balancing the priorities that have been foundational to our CEO Outlook and looking to turn risk into opportunity by focusing on technology, ESG and talent.

Determined to be first movers or fast followers in digital transformation, CEOs recognize the importance of changing at the right pace and selecting relevant emerging technologies. Having made significant strides in tying ESG to profitability, they also recognize the critical importance of connecting their ESG and digital strategies to achieve their goals.

The pursuit of growth is happening at a time when pandemic-related fatigue is CEOs’ main concern. To promote employee well-being, CEOs are evolving the employee value proposition to align employee expectations with their companies’ business needs. They are using technology to ensure connectedness, providing flexible work models and focusing on corporate purpose to give work a deeper meaning.

Having demonstrated tremendous fortitude in navigating various challenges over the past several years, they see opportunity in uncertainty as they mitigate risk and recession fears with a deep focus on planning and resilience—to succeed and grow in the years ahead.

- Paul Knopp, Chair and CEO of KPMG US

Download the report here.