Succession, cyber threats and economic uncertainty test CEOs

Effective succession plans at all levels are one of the most important elements in ensuring stability for companies. And they are also one of the main challenges facing CEOs, on a par with cyber threats to protect against and technological developments to invest in, especially if there is clear economic uncertainty ahead. The latest Ceo & Board Confidence Monitor by head hunter Heidrick & Struggles (which surveyed 2,000 companies globally, including 47 Italian ones) revealed a strong impression of economic instability. Sara Gay, partner at Heidrick & Struggles, emphasises how this issue combined with "geopolitical volatility puts a strain on Italian companies. Resilience therefore becomes key to meeting future challenges, relying on solid top management succession and the adoption of technologies such as AI. To remain competitive, Italian companies will have to rethink their development strategies, optimise organisational models and prepare for future challenges by investing in advanced technologies and leadership management'.

If we take only Italian data, a majority, 57 per cent, of the managers interviewed talk about this as the biggest risk for 2026. In addition to economic instability, fiscal and regulatory uncertainty make long-term planning even more difficult and complicate the strategic management of companies.

If the realisation of strategic plans hinges on leadership and its continuity, according to the Heidrick & Struggles survey, it is precisely here that another of the critical issues - continuity and succession - lurks. Just over a third of Italian executives, 36%, have confidence in internal succession processes, almost 10 points less than the 45% in Asia-Pacific. And 5 less than the 41% in South America. The fear that a change at the top could jeopardise corporate stability is of particular concern to Italian CEOs.

On the technology front, the area where most needs to be done is cybersecurity, which continues to be seen as a crucial node. Italian CEOs seem less confident in cyber threat management than other risks: only 38% recognise it as a challenge for the coming year, compared to 51% globally. Moreover, although artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as a strategic opportunity, it is so for only 36% of Italian CEOs. This is also the reason why there is a certain slowness in its adoption in Italia compared to other regions, such as Asia-Pacific (APAC), where confidence in this type of technology is greater.