In 2026, CEOs across Asia-Pacific (APAC) face a distinctive convergence of pressures: heightened geopolitical volatility, regulatory fragmentation across markets, rapid advances in AI, shifting labor demographics, and structural changes in supply chains and consumer behavior. These forces are amplified by APAC’s deep integration in global trade and its exposure to regional security and policy divergence.
Drawing on insights from 440 CEOs and C-Suite leaders collected in October–November 2025, this report examines the most critical challenges shaping the year ahead and the strategic priorities required to sustain growth and profitability in a challenging business environment. The regional edition highlights perspectives across APAC, highlighting differences with CEOs in Japan, allowing leaders to manage risk, protect reputation, and capture growth.
Trusted Insights for What’s Ahead®
- CEOs across APAC expect a volatile external environment in 2026. Leaders were particularly concerned that persistent geopolitical tensions and supply chain fragmentation will constrain growth while driving up price pressures and exchange-rate volatility.
- Regulation, protectionism, and diverging policies are reshaping industry dynamics in APAC. CEOs reported preparing for heavier compliance burdens, greater policy uncertainty, and rising barriers to cross-border investment and trade in 2026.
- Geopolitical and cyber risks dominated CEO concerns. Few leaders reported feeling insulated from escalating security shocks, with CEOs in Japan particularly focused on the risk of armed conflict in the region.
- AI-driven disruption, political polarization, and shifting consumer behavior were the most significant societal and technological headwinds. Japan stood out for its acute demographic challenges, alongside comparatively higher levels of trust in domestic institutions.
- Global trade remains vulnerable in 2026, with CEOs across APAC flagging supply chain disruption, tariff-driven price pressures, and energy shortages. Despite the risks, most reported limited appetite for nearshoring and continue to rely on China for critical sourcing.
- Across APAC, success in 2026 hinges on AI, innovation, and financial discipline, with CEOs prioritizing strategic planning and resilient tech-enabled supply chains. The application of data-driven applications centers on data integration, workforce adoption, and quality. CEOs emphasize that measuring return on investment (ROI) on AI requires better data quality.
- Business model transformation is the main profitability lever across APAC, but strategies diverge. CEOs outside Japan focused on marketing and head count management, while Japanese leaders relied on pricing power.
- Sustainable resource management leads the environmental agenda in APAC but Japan shows fragmented priorities on climate resilience, green supply chains, and clean innovation, signaling a less clear strategic direction compared with the rest of the region. Third party
In 2026, CEOs across Asia-Pacific (APAC) face a distinctive convergence of pressures: heightened geopolitical volatility, regulatory fragmentation across markets, rapid advances in AI, shifting labor demographics, and structural changes in supply chains and consumer behavior. These forces are amplified by APAC’s deep integration in global trade and its exposure to regional security and policy divergence.
Drawing on insights from 440 CEOs and C-Suite leaders collected in October–November 2025, this report examines the most critical challenges shaping the year ahead and the strategic priorities required to sustain growth and profitability in a challenging business environment. The regional edition highlights perspectives across APAC, highlighting differences with CEOs in Japan, allowing leaders to manage risk, protect reputation, and capture growth.
Trusted Insights for What’s Ahead®
- CEOs across APAC expect a volatile external environment in 2026. Leaders were particularly concerned that persistent geopolitical tensions and supply chain fragmentation will constrain growth while driving up price pressures and exchange-rate volatility.
- Regulation, protectionism, and diverging policies are reshaping industry dynamics in APAC. CEOs reported preparing for heavier compliance burdens, greater policy uncertainty, and rising barriers to cross-border investment and trade in 2026.
- Geopolitical and cyber risks dominated CEO concerns. Few leaders reported feeling insulated from escalating security shocks, with CEOs in Japan particularly focused on the risk of armed conflict in the region.
- AI-driven disruption, political polarization, and shifting consumer behavior were the most significant societal and technological headwinds. Japan stood out for its acute demographic challenges, alongside comparatively higher levels of trust in domestic institutions.
- Global trade remains vulnerable in 2026, with CEOs across APAC flagging supply chain disruption, tariff-driven price pressures, and energy shortages. Despite the risks, most reported limited appetite for nearshoring and continue to rely on China for critical sourcing.
- Across APAC, success in 2026 hinges on AI, innovation, and financial discipline, with CEOs prioritizing strategic planning and resilient tech-enabled supply chains. The application of data-driven applications centers on data integration, workforce adoption, and quality. CEOs emphasize that measuring return on investment (ROI) on AI requires better data quality.
- Business model transformation is the main profitability lever across APAC, but strategies diverge. CEOs outside Japan focused on marketing and head count management, while Japanese leaders relied on pricing power.
- Sustainable resource management leads the environmental agenda in APAC but Japan shows fragmented priorities on climate resilience, green supply chains, and clean innovation, signaling a less clear strategic direction compared with the rest of the region. Third party
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