As we reach the midpoint of 2025, the pressures on CEOs are mounting and evolving at an unprecedented pace. We share the top 5 concerns that leaders must steer their organizations through in a landscape defined by volatility and “polycrisis”—a term popularized by the World Economic Forum to capture the interconnected challenges leaders face.
Here are the key issues leading authorities and recent research provide to paint a nuanced picture. Some of them will likely resonate in your industry and business.
The global economy has struggled to gain certainty after a turbulent start to the decade. Ongoing inflationary pressures, interest rate fluctuations, and slower-than-hoped growth in major markets have left CEOs wary. In the June 2025 commentary from the World Economic Forum’s latest Global Risks Report – they highlight persistent economic anxiety, with nearly half of CEOs surveyed by PwC expressing concern that their companies may not be economically viable a decade from now if current trajectories continue.
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Whether you want to believe it or not, AI has moved from experimentation to mass adoption, fundamentally reshaping many industries in just the past year. CEOs now grapple with how to scale AI “responsibly”—balancing the enormous productivity gains with mounting ethical and regulatory concerns.
According to McKinsey’s State of AI 2025 report, 84% of CEOs say AI is “essential to survival,” but 60% worry about AI-driven cybersecurity threats and unintended biases. Gartner’s June CEO priorities research confirms that digital transformation is more urgent—and fraught with risk—than ever.
There is a common saying that goes: ‘Organizations today who adopt AI will take business away from those who don’t.’
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The war for talent has intensified, especially in tech, sustainability, and digital transformation roles. Remote and hybrid work models have become standard, yet securing and retaining top-tier talent remains elusive. Korn Ferry’s 2025 Future of Work report estimates that global talent shortages could cost companies $9 trillion annually in lost opportunity by 2030. As Deloitte’s Human Capital Trends 2025 emphasizes, skills obsolescence and employee well-being are at the heart of CEO concerns today.
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Geopolitical tensions continue to disrupt supply chains and market strategies. The ongoing reshuffling of alliances and sanctions, as well as the emergence of new regulatory regimes across AI, data privacy, and ESG, have forced CEOs to re-evaluate risk frameworks and diversify operations. EY’s CEO Outlook Pulse 2025 underscores that nearly three-quarters of global CEOs now see geopolitical instability as the single biggest threat to growth.
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The imperative to deliver stakeholder—not just shareholder—value continues to build. Companies are expected not only to make a profit but to operate responsibly on climate, inclusion, and ethics. BlackRock CEO Larry Fink’s 2025 letter reiterates that “long-term value creation depends on delivering for all stakeholders.” Yet, as The Economist noted earlier this year, the shift from ESG talk to real impact is harder than ever, and CEOs might lose sleep over accusations of “greenwashing” or falling behind on climate commitments.
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