PwC: Asia Pacific CEOs have confidence level return to nearly pre-crisis numbers

Asia Pacific CEOs confidence spread across all countries within the region according to PwC’s 14th Annual Global CEO Survey. CEOs in India (88%), China (72%) and ASEAN (60%) were standouts about near term growth. However, Japan was the least confident (25%). Globally, chief executives in Western Europe were not as optimistic as their Asian counterparts, with only 39% expressing confidence.

Globally, the majority of the CEOs surveyed (90%) are expecting growth in the region in the next year.  China is considered the most important country and India was also seen as a critical market for future growth.

CEOs are confident innovations will succeed. Majority of Asia Pacific CEOs (29%) saw new product or service development as the main driver for growth in the next year. Apart from focusing on these plans, CEOs surveyed are looking toward potential for strong collaboration with government bodies. They stated the importance of infrastructure for competitiveness.

CEOs are planning to invest in their peoples growth, and not through monetary compensation alone. Businesses are stepping up overseas deployments of key employees (65%). While some are tapping women as an under-utilised source and retaining workers past their retirement age is another option that is being considered  .  The greatest collective concerns for the CEOs in Asia Pacific are over the world economy. Eighty nine percent of CEOs say they are concerned about the uncertain or volatile economic growth . Exchange rate volatility and over-regulation also top the worries of most CEOs.  –Rob Starr, Big4.com Staff Reporter