Global Leadership Monitor - Greater China H1 2026

In the rapidly shifting leadership landscape, what external business threats are Greater China's leaders most concerned with today? And how are they prioritizing their efforts to navigate these challenges?

Our bi-annual Global Leadership Monitor tracks how Greater China leaders perceive and prepare for key challenges impacting their businesses over the next 12 – 18 months.

Geopolitical uncertainty becomes the top threat

In H1 2026, geopolitical uncertainty is the top-ranked threat to organizational health in Greater China, with 73% of leaders selecting it as a top five issue, up sharply from 55% in H2 2025, reflecting a more complex external environment.

Uncertain economic growth ranks second at 68%, while technological change ranks third at 54%, as there is continued pressure on organizations to respond to AI, digital transformation, and evolving operating models.

Availability of key talent / skills ranks sixth at 32%, down from 48% in the previous cycle. While talent has become less prominent relative to external risks, it remains a critical enabler of resilience, transformation, and execution.

Preparedness is relatively strong, but capability gaps remain

Greater China leaders report comparatively high readiness across several top risks. Preparedness stands at 67% for uncertain economic growth and 61% for technological change.

The largest gap is around geopolitical uncertainty. Although it is now the top-ranked threat, only 49% of leaders feel prepared to manage it, pointing to the need for stronger scenario planning, stakeholder management, and decision-making under external volatility.

Talent is also a watchpoint. Only 43% of leaders feel prepared to address the availability of key talent / skills, suggesting organizations cannot afford to deprioritize leadership pipelines, succession planning, and specialist capabilities.

What this moment demands from Greater China leaders

Greater China’s leadership context is increasingly defined by the intersection of geopolitical risk, economic uncertainty, technology-led disruption and talent capability.

The next phase will require leadership teams that can navigate volatility with confidence, align talent and technology with business priorities, and build the capabilities needed for growth, transformation, and long-term resilience.

Explore global findings and the data in your region, industry, and role

Find out what the top threats are for your region, country, industry, and role—and leaders' preparedness to face them.

Global Leadership Monitor H1 2026 - Key global findings

Download data