SINGAPORE, 24 October 2025 — A new global survey by leadership advisory firm Egon Zehnder has found that CEOs across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region are showing growing confidence and adaptability in navigating geopolitical and economic turbulence.
Released at the Berlin Global Dialogue, The CEO Response study surveyed 1,235 global leaders, including 132 from the APAC region. It revealed that 92% of CEOs worldwide believe they must cultivate higher levels of adaptability, while 72% see global prosperity as either stagnating or declining.
Despite these headwinds, APAC executives are responding with a distinct regional focus—anchored in people, partnerships, and resilience.
Confidence and Adaptability on the Rise
Compared with last year, fewer APAC leaders feel unprepared to manage complexity, with those rating their readiness at “7 out of 10” dropping from 24% in 2024 to 17% this year. The report attributes this to a leadership mindset that emphasises adaptability, listening, and inclusion—values increasingly prioritised across boardrooms in the region.
A strong 66% of APAC CEOs “strongly agree” they need to foster adaptability within their organisations, notably higher than the 55% global average. Similarly, a greater share consider listening (35%) and inclusion of diverse perspectives (27%) as “extremely important” leadership skills.
“Faced with global headwinds, APAC leaders are not waiting for the world to stabilise; they are actively building a more resilient future from within the region,” said Ang Wan May, Singapore Managing Partner at Egon Zehnder. “Their confidence is grounded in a clear strategy, strengthening regional alliances, investing in technology and AI, and cultivating adaptability across their teams.”
While innovation remains a global priority, APAC leaders are more inclined than their Western counterparts to focus regionally. Over half identified Asia-Pacific (51%) and India (50%) as their preferred markets for new partnerships and investment opportunities. By contrast, U.S. and European CEOs tend to prioritise their home regions.
This regional emphasis is reflected in resource allocation, with 46% of APAC leaders investing in strategic alliances and 45% in artificial intelligence.
A Broader Sense of Responsibility
Beyond their own organisations, APAC CEOs also demonstrate a stronger sense of collective responsibility. Nearly half (48%) believe they have a duty to contribute to global prosperity beyond their companies, compared with 40% of their global peers.
Commenting on the findings, Michael Ensser, Global Chair of Egon Zehnder, said:
“CEOs today are not only managing crises; they are defining how leadership contributes to global stability and progress. The best leaders are blending strategic foresight with pragmatism and collective intelligence—and those investments are paying off.”
The study underscores a regional leadership evolution marked by confidence, adaptability, and purpose—a blend that may well define APAC’s response to a more complex global landscape.
