Caribbean CEOs Express Optimism for 2025, PwC’s 28th Annual Global CEO Survey Reveals

A significant majority of Caribbean CEOs maintain a positive outlook on global economic growth in 2025, according to PwC’s 28th Annual Global CEO Survey. The regional findings, unveiled during the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting, indicate that nearly 70% of Caribbean CEOs anticipate an increase in global economic growth over the next 12 months.

The global survey, which gathered responses from 4,701 CEOs across 109 countries and territories, including those in the Caribbean, also found that 42% of CEOs worldwide plan to expand their workforce by at least 5% in the coming year—more than double the percentage expecting to reduce headcount (17%). Caribbean CEOs shared a similar sentiment, with 44% intending to increase hiring, while 22% foresee downsizing.

Despite their economic optimism, Caribbean business leaders expressed concerns over key risks, particularly cybersecurity (31%), inflation, and workforce capabilities (both 28%). In contrast, the global report identified macroeconomic volatility (29%) as the top concern, with regional variations influencing the ranking of risks. The report further highlighted the ongoing impact of cyber threats on Caribbean businesses, pointing out that while cybersecurity remains a major focus, only 2% of organizations globally have implemented comprehensive resilience measures.

Discussing the survey findings, Brian Hackett, territory leader of PwC T&T, noted that Caribbean business leaders remain optimistic about the future but recognize the necessity of reinventing value creation. He emphasized that over three decades of digitization have begun to blur traditional industry boundaries, and the combined effects of climate transition, artificial intelligence, and other megatrends will accelerate this transformation. To stay competitive, he suggested that leaders must embrace bold strategic decisions, integrating generative AI (GenAI) into core operations and exploring new growth avenues.

The report also underscored the challenges of business reinvention and AI adoption. It revealed that, consistent with previous years, 42% of global CEOs believe their companies will not be viable beyond the next decade if they continue on their current trajectory. In the Caribbean, a similar trend was observed, with a slight decrease in CEOs expressing concern about long-term business viability (from 30% in 2023 to 28% in the latest survey).

Regarding AI integration, many Caribbean CEOs acknowledged that GenAI could enhance efficiency, profitability, and revenue in the near term. However, fewer than 30% expressed a high level of trust in embedding AI into their core processes. The report noted that CEOs with greater trust in AI reported higher benefits from GenAI over the past year and anticipated further gains in the future. These leaders were also more proactive in integrating GenAI into their technology platforms, business operations, and workflows.

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