Resilience the top quality for business leaders, survey reveals

In an era of unprecedented global volatility, business resilience has become a leader’s top priority. A total of 61% of surveyed business leaders now believe resilience is the most important quality for a successful business, according to a report from consultancy BDO.

The report, based on a global survey of over 1,000 business leaders in a variety of different sectors, highlights how geopolitical events and rapid technological advancement are forcing a shift from simply surviving to actively thriving. Businesses face risks on various fronts: From shifting competitor landscapes and higher costs of goods to cyber threats and aging tech infrastructure.

“In this environment, leaders must ask themselves: Do I want to play offence or defense?,” said Ric Opal, global digital leader with BDO.

“Those choosing offence must harness advanced technology to build organizations that are resilient, agile and future-ready. The ‘New Business Edge’ belongs to those with the strategic foresight to anticipate trends and navigate uncertainty with confidence.”

Fragmentation and division

As the future of tech and business remains uncertain, the report explores various scenarios based on technological progress and market evolution. A total of 52% of surveyed leaders expect a future of deeply fragmented markets and supply chains, while about a third anticipate a deepening political rift between East and West.

Only 8% of leaders believe an optimistic future will emerge, where technological development and collaborative innovation thrive. This reveals a clear sense of caution – if not outright pessimism. Most business leaders understand that they need to act boldly and cannot afford to be complacent. In fact, 73% of leaders believe organizations must prepare for a range of future scenarios to be successful.

“In recent years, the perception of cyber threats has shifted from ‘it probably won’t happen to us’ to ‘it’s only a matter of time,’” said Rocco Galletto, global cybersecurity leader, BDO

“What used to be targeted strikes on big enterprises have become widespread, opportunistic attacks. Attackers motivated by financial gain use ransomware and data theft to achieve their objectives. No business is too small, and no sector is off-limits.”

Adopting a data-forward risk strategy

In today’s volatile landscape, staying ahead of risk is all about leveraging data and technology. By using cutting-edge tools, leaders can make smarter, faster decisions. For example, technology can help with everything from detecting cyber threats and improving financial forecasts to providing real-time insights into what customers want.

To achieve this, businesses need a single, unified data strategy. This means consolidating all of a company’s information into one reliable source to ensure quality and consistency. This means better data management and investing in innovations.

Another strategic move that is useful for navigating today’s geopolitical uncertainty is diversifying supply chains. Many companies are now exploring different configurations of nearshoring, a strategy that simplifies supply chains and gives businesses more flexibility, ensuring operations remain agile and resilient against tariffs or other unexpected instabilities.

The AI imperative

As AI becomes ubiquitous, many leaders in a wide variety of industries are recognizing the need to make a move. In many cases business leaders understand that they need to adopt AI as soon as possible or risk getting overtaken by the competition.

Leaders in a majority of the industries featured in the report said they planned to adopt AI or some other advanced solutions within the next year. This includes 73% of respondents in both healthcare and education, 66% of leaders in tech, and 64% in financial services.

However, AI adoption is a big investment that can bring disruptive changes. Companies must carefully consider which tools to adopt and how to manage the transition.

The hype around AI, and the fear of being left behind, can overshadow the practical applications of this technology,” said Jonathan Hughes, BDO’s global management consulting leader.

“Potential use cases vary widely by industry and function, and many organizations are stuck in a bit of a holding pattern, unsure on their next move. To build momentum, leaders need to ask the right questions: Where are our inefficiencies or quality gaps? Which AI solutions align with our business needs? And what outcomes are we actually aiming to achieve?”