CEO agenda

The EY CEO Imperative Study surveys 305 CEOs of the Forbes Global 2000 to reveal their perspectives on the DNA of the future enterprise. In 2021 it finds the trend-accelerating force of the pandemic is dividing companies into thrivers and survivors. CEOs are ready to pivot to transformation and growth but must address capability gaps to move from intention to execution.

Beyond the pandemic, CEOs need to reshape their portfolios, reimagine their ecosystem and reinvent themselves for a better future. Designing and delivering a strategy to optimize value for all stakeholders has never been more challenging. Executives must take bold actions to enhance their growth opportunities and reframe their futures.

Watch our EY-Parthenon video series on how CEOs can develop a strategy that is both ambitious and actionable

Market disruption has accelerated transformation and forced CEOs to reimagine their business models. Business leaders that focus on putting people at the center of everything they do, deploying technology at speed and innovating at scale will do more than lead the market – they will reshape markets and become exponential value creators. These leaders take a future-back approach to optimize for today’s success and plan for tomorrow’s disruption.

Pre-crisis, most organizations had been on a path to a future of work that was more agile, digital and people-centered, with an evolving skill need. COVID-19 has significantly accelerated that journey for all organizations on a scale they didn’t dream about 12 months ago. Companies are actively taking this opportunity to transform their organizations with customers and employees at the center of their efforts.

Today, societies demand greater responsibility from the organizations they work for, buy from and invest in. CEOs that anchor their strategies to a meaningful purpose, with a focus on creating long-term, sustainable impact across stakeholders, are best positioned to benefit from, demonstrate and measure the value they create.