COUNTRY FOCUS
geographies, would most effectively
drive stakeholder value over the next
three years.
The vast
majority 76%
Where do CEOs believe this growth
of UAE CEOs
is going to come from? Given
four options to choose from: new
believe that the
products, customers, channels or
markets, CEOs were very clear. Over
organisations
half believe that new products will
they are
be the most important source of
growth over the next three years.
currently
On the other hand, less than 10%
of CEOs believe that new channels
leading will be
would be important, perhaps a sign
that the omnichannel revolution
significantly
that is shaking the retail industry
globally has yet to gain real traction different
in the UAE across a wider economic
horizon.
organisations in
the next three
Business innovation
years
Despite the multifaceted challenges
that the region is facing, it is
clear that UAE CEOs are positive
about the opportunities they see
across the economy, especially in
certain high-growth sectors. What
is interesting is that the business
environment seems to be changing
even faster here in the UAE than it
is elsewhere. Globally, 41% of CEOs
expect to be running a significantly
transformed organisation in three
years’ time. In the UAE, that
percentage almost doubles to 76%.
All of the CEOs KPMG spoke to were
confident that their organisations
would grow over the next three
years, with 60% of CEOs confident
that organic growth, such as
expanding their customer base or
entering into new business lines or
www.intelligentcio.com
The vast majority 76% of UAE
CEOs believe that the organisations
they are currently leading will be
significantly different organisations
in the next three years, compared
to 41% of global CEOs, and
29% of CEOs surveyed for the
2015 global survey. The UAE is
increasingly a hotbed of change,
with the public sector in particular
investing significantly in digitisation,
disruption and improving the
customer experience.
While there is general consistency
between the top five strategic
priorities over the next three years
for global and UAE CEOs, the order
is different. Fostering innovation
was the most important strategic
innovation for global CEOs, cited by
21% of respondents. On the other
hand, talent ranked by 41% of UAE
CEOs as a top three risk, was only
mentioned by 4% of UAE CEOs as a
strategic priority, compared to 18%
of global CEOs.
Global CEOs, perhaps in a nod to
a slightly more technologically
advanced economic environment,
are gearing up to invest in the
measurement and analysis of
customer experiences and needs,
an area where the public sector
seems to be taking a lead in the
UAE. Global CEOs are also expecting
to invest in geographic expansion
within their own countries and
they are investing in cyber security
solutions, an indicator of the
importance given to one of the
most significant risks of the fourth
industrial revolution.
There may be good reasons for UAE
to have different priorities to their
global peers. 86% of UAE CEOs
thought their organisation was at
least capable over a wide range of
metrics, from generating ideas to
securing the necessary investment
and resources to bring ideas to
market. This clearly has an impact
on top investment areas.
While global CEOs, like their
UAE peers, are contemplating
investing in increasing data
analysis capabilities, developing
new products and sourcing cyber
security solutions, UAE CEOs have
a stronger interest in building the
profile of their business and their
leaders, acquiring business assets,
and geographic expansion outside
the UAE.
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