BERLIN & NEW YORK -- Global CEOs are meeting ongoing volatility with renewed confidence and agility, according to The CEO Response, Egon Zehnder’s latest study of 1,235 chief executives.

The research reveals that 92% of CEOs believe they must cultivate unprecedented levels of adaptability to lead effectively through current geopolitical and economic disruption. Yet most feel more capable and confident than a year ago, having turned recent crises into lasting lessons in resilience.

“CEOs are increasingly adjusting to the rapidly changing world order, characterized by fragmented alliances, strategic resource shortages, new technologies, and the power of individual actors,” said Lars-Hendrik Röller, Founder and Chair of the Berlin Global Dialogue. “They are guided by a key insight: Either they help shape the rules of the new order—or they are completely exposed to its complex developments.”

Nearly six in ten CEOs (59%) view agility and adaptability as the most critical factor for business success today, while 87% cite geopolitical instability as their greatest challenge. To stay ahead, CEOs are focusing investments on innovation (53%), artificial intelligence (44%), and employee development (42%).

The report also finds that 97% of CEOs see opportunities to contribute to global prosperity, signaling a broader sense of purpose in leadership. Nearly all (99%) emphasize cultivating organizational cultures of curiosity and open-mindedness as essential for navigating complexity.

Launched during this year’s Berlin Global Dialogue (BGD), the study underscores a shift in leadership. Under the theme, “Shifting Power, Shaping Prosperity,” BGD convenes high-ranking international government representatives and business leaders to forge new partnerships and make strategic decisions in a multipolar world.

“CEOs have shown an extraordinary ability to learn from and adapt amid uncertainty and global instability. Beyond managing crises and business upheavals, they are actively defining how to contribute to global prosperity, whether through their business practices or by engaging beyond the boundaries of their organizations,” comments Michael Ensser, Global Chair of Egon Zehnder, on the study’s findings. “Leadership today means forging new paths with strategic foresight, pragmatism, and collective intelligence. Many leaders have recently invested specifically in honing these skills. That investment is now paying off.”

As global dynamics continue to shift, The CEO Response underscores a pivotal moment in leadership evolution. CEOs are no longer reacting to uncertainty - they are using it as a catalyst for growth, innovation, and progress. Egon Zehnder’s findings reveal a generation of leaders that are redefining success through adaptability and purpose, setting a new standard for how organizations can thrive in an unpredictable world.