Fintech PR
Economic optimism doubles, yet almost half of CEOs do not believe their businesses will be viable in a decade as tech and climate pressures accelerate: PwC Global CEO Survey
- Proportion of CEOs optimistic about global growth prospects doubles from 18% to 38% as concerns about inflation and macroeconomic volatility fall
- 39% of CEOs expect their company’s headcount to increase by 5% or more in 2024
- However, confidence is fragile: almost half (45%) do not believe their business will be viable in a decade without reinvention – up from 39% in 2023
- CEOs expect more pressure over the next three years than they experienced over the previous five from technology, climate and several other megatrends
- Four in ten CEOs report that they have accepted lower returns for climate-friendly investments
- 70% expect Generative AI to significantly change the way their company creates value in the next three years
DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The proportion of CEOs who believe global economic growth will improve over the next 12-months has more than doubled year-on-year. At the same time the proportion of CEOs concerned about their long-term business viability has risen to 45% as tech and climate pressures accelerate, according to PwC’s 27th Annual Global CEO Survey, published today.
The survey, which interviewed 4,702 CEOs across 105 countries and territories, found that 38% of CEOs are optimistic about global economic growth prospects over the next 12-months, up from 18% in 2023. CEO expectations of economic decline have also tumbled from a record high in last year’s survey (73%) to 45%, as perceived exposure to inflation and macroeconomic volatility fell by 16 percentage points (to 24%) and 7 percentage points (to 24%) respectively. Despite ongoing conflicts, the proportion of CEOs who felt their company is highly or extremely exposed to geopolitical conflict risk fell 7 percentage points (to 18%).
CEOs in most regions of the world are also more likely to be optimistic about domestic economic prospects than pessimistic. However, CEOs in North America and Western Europe buck the trend – in Western Europe, 32% expect their domestic economies to improve, 48% decline; North America, 31% and 52%, respectively.
CEOs are more likely to plan to increase than decrease their headcount in the next 12-months, with 39% reporting that they expect to increase their headcount by 5% or more. Employers in every region are more likely to increase than decrease headcount, with the Middle East the most bullish on hiring (65%).
While the trajectory is positive, confidence is fragile as megatrends including technological disruption – exemplified by generative AI – and the climate transition converge. Almost half (45%) of CEOs say they do not believe their current business will be viable in a decade if it continues on its current path – up from 39% in 2023. Reflecting uncertainty about how they will manage megatrends, CEOs are somewhat less confident than last year in their own company’s prospects for revenue growth over the next 12 months – down from 42% to 37%.
Bob Moritz, Global Chair, PwC, said:
“As business leaders are becoming less concerned about macroeconomic challenges, they are becoming more focused on disruptive forces within their industries. Despite rising optimism about the global economy, they are actually less optimistic than last year about their own revenue prospects, and more acutely aware of the need for fundamental reinvention of their business. Whether it is accelerating the roll-out of generative AI or building their business to address the challenges and opportunities of the climate transition, this is a year of transformation.”
The AI opportunity
CEOs overwhelmingly see generative AI as a catalyst for reinvention that will power efficiency, innovation, and transformational change. Nearly three-quarters (70%) believe it will significantly change the way their company creates, delivers, and captures value in the next three years.
CEOs are also optimistic about the short-term impact. Over the next 12 months, almost three-fifths (58%) expect it to improve the quality of their products or services and almost half (48%) say it will enhance their ability to build trust with stakeholders. They also expect better outcomes for their business – 41% expect it to positively impact revenue and 46% expect it to positively impact profitability. The technology, media and communications sector is most positive about the impact on profit (54%), while energy, utilities and resources are least optimistic (36%).
But while CEOs are increasingly looking to the transformative benefits of generative AI, the great majority say it will require workforce upskilling (69%). They have also expressed concern about an associated rise in cybersecurity risk (64%), misinformation (52%), legal liabilities and reputation risks (46%), and bias towards specific groups of customers or employees (34%) in their companies.
CEOs report progress on climate priorities
As CEOs establish priorities, many are seeing the climate transition as an industry disruptor containing distinct opportunities in addition to risks. Nearly one-third expect climate change to shift the way they create, deliver, and capture value over the next three years – up from less than one-quarter who said as much regarding the past 5 years.
CEOs are making progress in turning their commitments into action. 76% have either begun or completed steps to improve energy efficiency, while 58% report having made similar strides when it comes to innovating new, climate-friendly products, services or technologies.
On the other hand, only 45% note having made progress on or completed incorporating climate risk into financial planning (with 31% noting no plans to do so). Action on adaptation to physical climate risks is also lagging at 47% (with 29% noting no plans to act).
The survey suggests significant support for decarbonisation, with only 26% saying that a lack of board or management buy-in is at least a moderate barrier to decarbonisation. Instead, CEOs cite regulatory complexity (54%) and lower economic returns for climate friendly investments (51%) as the biggest barriers to be overcome. CEOs are beginning to take on the economic barrier, with four in ten reporting that they have accepted lower hurdle rates for climate-friendly investments than for other investments—in the majority of cases between one and four percentage points lower.
The reinvention imperative
As CEOs become more aware of the megatrends facing businesses globally, survey respondents expressed increased concern around their long-term business viability. Almost half (45%) note they are concerned their businesses will not be viable beyond the next decade without reinvention – up from 39% in 2023. Notably, the survey shows smaller companies are at greater risk: 56% of CEOs leading businesses generating less than US$100 million in annual revenue believe their businesses will only be viable for 10 years or less if it continues running on its current path. This falls to 27% for those making US$25 billion or more in revenue annually.
Almost all (97%) CEOs note they have taken steps to change how they create, deliver, and capture value in the past five years, and over three-quarters (76%) have taken at least one action that had a large or very large impact on their company’s business model.
But while CEOs are taking action, they are faced with a number of challenges. Two thirds (64%) cite the regulatory environment as inhibiting their ability to reinvent their business model to at least a moderate extent, 55% point to competing operational concerns, and 52% point to a lack of skills in their company’s workforce.
A further obstacle is inefficiency. CEOs perceive significant inefficiencies across a range of their companies’ routine activities—everything from decision-making meetings to emails—viewing roughly 40% of the time spent on these tasks as inefficient. A conservative PwC estimate of the cost of that inefficiency would be tantamount to a self-imposed US$10 trillion tax on productivity.
Bob Moritz, Global Chair, PwC, concludes:
“This year’s data suggests a high degree of CEO uncertainty ahead, but CEOs are taking action. They are transforming their business models, investing in technology and their people, and managing the risks and opportunities presented by the climate transition. If businesses are to thrive over the short and long-term, build trust, and deliver sustained and long-term value, they must accelerate the pace of reinvention.”
Notes to Editors:
About the 27th Annual PwC Global CEO Survey
PwC surveyed 4,702 CEOs across 105 countries and territories from 2 October through 10 November 2023. The global and regional figures are weighted proportionally to country nominal GDP. The industry and country-level figures are based on unweighted data from the full sample of 4,702 CEOs. The full findings can be accessed on pwc.com/ceosurvey, and the interviews can be found at strategy-business.com/inside-the-mind-of-the-ceo.
About PwC
At PwC, our purpose is to build trust in society and solve important problems. We’re a network of firms in 151 countries with over 360,000 people who are committed to delivering quality in assurance, advisory and tax services. Find out more and tell us what matters to you by visiting us at www.pwc.com.
Fintech PR
MarketsandMarkets Appoints Milan Rao as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Revenue Officer, Strengthening Apex Leadership in Line with Ambitious Growth Plans
DELRAY BEACH, Fla., Nov. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — MarketsandMarkets, a prominent Indian-origin startup recognized by Forbes as one of ‘America’s Best Management Consulting Firms 2023’, has appointed Milan Rao as its Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Chief Revenue Officer (CRO). Milan’s appointment comes as the company continues to scale its innovative AI-based knowledge platform and consulting capabilities and strengthens its apex leadership team, in preparation for its future growth trajectory.
Milan has joined MarketsandMarkets from a distinguished career in the industry, bringing over 25 years of expertise in driving operational excellence and revenue growth at global firms. He has held leadership roles at top-tier organizations, such as Wipro, GE Healthcare and Airtel, where he was instrumental in spearheading transformation strategies for clients in diverse sectors. Milan also has extensive experience in scaling startups and working with PE firms in accelerating growth for start-ups in high-potential markets.
Sandeep Sugla, Founder and CEO of MarketsandMarkets, expressed his enthusiasm for Milan’s appointment: “We are thrilled to partner with Milan in this leadership role. His wealth of experience across large global firms and start-ups is a perfect fit to drive our growth and scale ambitions, globally. Milan’s expertise will be invaluable, as we continue our mission to enable businesses to identify and capitalize on megatrends, such as AI, clean-tech, IoT, and blockchain, which will create transformative opportunities across industries like Technology, IT, Semiconductors, Healthcare, Life Sciences, Energy, Chemicals, Industrial and Automotive sectors.”
Milan’s leadership will be critical in navigating the ongoing global disruptions caused by these megatrends. According to MarketsandMarkets, new revenue sources amounting to approximately USD 25 trillion are expected to emerge by 2030, creating significant growth potential for clients. His dual role as COO and CRO will see him overseeing operational efficiencies, while driving sustainable revenue growth through innovative market strategies and partnerships.
“I’m excited to have joined a company that is at the forefront of identifying and analyzing real-time megatrend impacts across major sectors,” said Milan. “MarketsandMarkets’ AI-based platform is unique in its ability to provide actionable insights to global leaders, enabling them to adapt to and benefit from disruptive shifts. I look forward to building on this foundation and helping our 13,000 global clients stay ahead of the curve in an increasingly dynamic business environment.”
Milan holds an MBA from IIM Calcutta and a bachelor’s degree in computer science from IIT, BHU-Varanasi, and has undertaken an advanced management program from Harvard Business School. He is an active supporter of several social initiatives, focusing on education and healthcare for the underprivileged.
About MarketsandMarkets™
MarketsandMarkets™ has been recognized as one of America’s best management consulting firms by Forbes, as per their recent report.
MarketsandMarkets™ is a blue ocean alternative in growth consulting and program management, leveraging a man-machine offering to drive supernormal growth for progressive organizations in the B2B space. We have the widest lens on emerging technologies, making us proficient in co-creating supernormal growth for clients.
Earlier this year, we made a formal transformation into one of America’s best management consulting firms, as per a survey conducted by Forbes.
The B2B economy is witnessing the emergence of $25 trillion of new revenue streams that are substituting existing revenue streams in this decade alone. We work with clients on growth programs, helping them monetize this $25 trillion opportunity through our service lines — TAM Expansion, Go-to-Market (GTM) Strategy to Execution, Market Share Gain, Account Enablement, and Thought Leadership Marketing.
Built on the ‘GIVE Growth’ principle, we work with several Forbes Global 2000 B2B companies — helping them stay relevant in a disruptive ecosystem. Our insights and strategies are molded by our industry experts, cutting-edge AI-powered Market Intelligence Cloud, and years of research. The KnowledgeStore™ (our Market Intelligence Cloud) integrates our research, facilitates an analysis of interconnections through a set of applications, helping clients look at the entire ecosystem and understand the revenue shifts happening in their industry.
To find out more, visit www.MarketsandMarkets™.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.
Contact
Mr. Rohan Salgarkar
MarketsandMarkets™ INC.
1615 South Congress Ave
Suite 103, Delray Beach, FL 33445
USA: +1-888-600-6441
Email: [email protected]
Visit Our Website: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/
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AMSTERDAM, Nov. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — VERMEG, a leading provider of software solutions for the financial services industry, backed by Charterhouse Capital Partners, announces today it has entered into an agreement to sell its RegTech division “Agile” to Regnology, a renowned global expert in regulatory compliance. This strategic transaction aligns with VERMEG’s long-term vision to strengthen its focus on its core areas of expertise, Collateral Management and Insurance, while ensuring a promising future for the Agile team under Regnology’s leadership.
For decades, asset servicing has been a cornerstone of VERMEG’s operations, with a comprehensive portfolio that includes corporate actions (OST), Collateral Management, mutual funds (OPCVM), and life insurance. These core offerings have solidified VERMEG’s reputation as a trusted partner to financial institutions worldwide.
The acquisition of Lombard Risk in 2018 marked a pivotal moment in VERMEG’s history, enabling the company to expand into Anglo-Saxon markets and establish itself as the global leader in Collateral Management. This transformation was driven by the complementarity between VERMEG’s and Lombard Risk’s product portfolios and supported by the center of expertise established in Tunisia, which continues to play an instrumental role in VERMEG’s success.
Agile, VERMEG’s regulatory business division, has represented a distinct and specialized segment of the company, accounting for approximately 10% of its workforce. Over the years, Agile has evolved into a best-in-class modular and scalable SaaS platform that delivers end-to-end regulatory reporting solutions, from data ingestion, through calculation to last-mile reporting. Positioned as a high-performing entity in the complex regulatory environment, Agile has garnered industry recognition for its innovation and capabilities.
Through this transaction, Agile will join Regnology, a globally recognized leader in regulatory reporting and supervisory processes. This move enables Regnology to expand its international footprint and leverage the expertise and talent cultivated in Tunisia. The strategic partnership ensures service continuity while creating exciting opportunities for Agile and its team.
For VERMEG, the transaction represents a significant milestone in its strategy to concentrate on its core strengths. By consolidating its leadership in Collateral Management and Insurance, VERMEG will mobilize resources to pursue growth and deliver even greater value to its clients. This strategic realignment underscores VERMEG’s commitment to innovation and excellence in financial technology.
“This transaction aligns with VERMEG’s strategy to ensure long-term sustainability and success for both the company and its employees,” said Badreddine OUALI, co-CEO and Founder. At the same time, VERMEG can focus on strategic initiatives in its core Banking & Market Infrastructure and Insurance divisions, leveraging additional resources to deliver even greater value to our clients.”
About VERMEG
Founded in 1993, VERMEG provides software solutions to over 500 blue-chip clients in more than 40 countries across the banking, insurance, and wealth management industries. The company’s high-quality platform offers best-in-class tools to automate processes and drive digitalization in financial services. Headquartered in Amsterdam with offices in 16 countries, VERMEG employs over 1,000 people worldwide. For more information, visit www.vermeg.com.
About Regnology
Regnology is a leading global provider of innovative solutions for supervisory, regulatory and tax reporting. Over 35,000 financial institutions, 70 regulators and tax authorities rely on our solutions to streamline their processes, enhance data quality, and improve efficiency. Building on our unified data ingestion model, Regnology is uniquely positioned to support regulators in data collection and supervisory processes, and the regulated across the full regulatory reporting value chain. Leveraging the expertise of 900+ employees in 16 countries, we help clients navigate the complexities of an ever-evolving, data-intensive regulatory landscape.
For more information, visit www.regnology.net/.
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Contact:
Donia SAHLI [email protected]
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Fintech PR
Trust Wallet Integrates Binance Connect to Supercharge Fiat-to-Crypto Transactions, Expanding Access for Millions
DUBAI, UAE, Nov. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Trust Wallet, the world’s leading self-custody Web3 wallet trusted by over 140 million users, has integrated Binance Connect, Binance‘s official fiat-to-crypto gateway, to streamline access to digital assets and enhance the user journey. This integration offers a seamless experience with direct access to peer-to-peer (P2P) services and robust fiat-to-crypto solutions, all within Trust Wallet’s efficient environment.
With Binance Connect, Trust Wallet users can now access over 300 cryptocurrencies at competitive rates, supported by Binance’s unparalleled liquidity and market reach. This integration streamlines the fiat-to-crypto experience, allowing transactions via credit and debit cards, bank transfers, Binance wallet balance, and Binance P2P trading.
Through this integration, Trust Wallet is enabling users to access a broad range of crypto services from trusted partner merchants, reducing barriers and making it easier for millions to connect to the world of Web3.
Trust Wallet currently supports seven fiat on-ramp solutions, and the addition of Binance Connect supercharges Trust Wallet’s capabilities offering its users a seamless, cost-effective, and accessible way to buy, sell, and manage cryptocurrencies directly within the wallet.
Key Benefits of Binance Connect Integration:
- Global Accessibility: Binance Connect expands on-ramp coverage to underserved regions, providing users worldwide with more ways to access cryptocurrencies.
- Effortless Onboarding: Binance KYC-verified users enjoy faster access to P2P and fiat services within Trust Wallet, eliminating the need for additional checks.
- Cost Efficiency: P2P transactions via Binance Connect are generally more affordable than traditional payment methods, further promoting crypto adoption. Competitive P2P transaction fees make crypto more accessible and encourage regular use.
- Robust Currency Support: The integration supports 100+ fiat currencies, 300+ cryptocurrencies, and over 300 payment methods, including both traditional and alternative options.
Eowyn Chen, CEO of Trust Wallet, emphasized the significance of this integration:
“At Trust Wallet we keep working to make Web3 accessible to everyone. By collaborating with Binance Connect, we’re simplifying the journey into the on-chain world, particularly for users in regions where traditional financial infrastructure channels fall short. This integration is a game-changer for empowering self-custodial wallet users globally.”
“Trust Wallet’s integration of Binance Connect demonstrates the power of collaboration in advancing the Web3 ecosystem,” says Thomas Gregory, Vice President of Fiat at Binance. “Together, we are simplifying the user experience for millions worldwide, offering seamless transactions that make digital assets accessible, especially in regions where traditional financial systems face limitations.”
Trust Wallet users can begin using Binance Connect immediately by selecting it as their preferred payment method within the app. From setting up the wallet to completing transactions, the process is intuitive and seamless, regardless of experience level.
To explore the benefits of Binance Connect within Trust Wallet, download Trust Wallet today.
About Trust Wallet
Trust Wallet is the secure, self-custody Web3 wallet and gateway for people who want to fully own, control, and leverage the power of their digital assets. From beginners to experienced users, Trust Wallet makes it possible for millions of people around the world to experience Web3, access dApps, store and manage their crypto and NFTs, as well as buy, sell, and stake crypto to earn rewards — all in one place and without limits.
About Binance Connect
Powered by Binance, Binance Connect is a comprehensive fiat-to-crypto solution that provides access to Binance’s global liquidity and an extensive array of payment methods. Its mission is to simplify access to cryptocurrencies and Web3 services worldwide.
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