Business Leaders Deal with Uncertainty as Cyber, AI and Geopolitical Risks Dominate 2025 Global Outlook

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Fewer than one third of business leaders feel "very prepared" to take on the range of challenges

NEW YORK, June 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Kroll, the leading independent provider of global financial and risk advisory solutions, today released the 2025 Global Business Sentiment Survey: Resilience, Risks, and Preparedness, revealing that business leaders worldwide are grappling with an unprecedented convergence of risks, from escalating cyber threats and rapid AI adoption to regulatory complexity, as well as economic and geopolitical instability. 

Fewer than one third of business leaders feel "very prepared" to take on the range of challenges they may face, including technology integration, AI implementation, regulatory changes and potential trade disruptions.

Jacob Silverman, Chief Executive Officer at Kroll says, "We're in the midst of a business environment defined by volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity, posing significant challenges for leaders around the world. The global data benchmarks and expert insights in the Kroll 2025 Global Business Sentiment Survey can help companies mitigate risks, boost their resilience, and prepare for the unique challenges that lie ahead." 

Cyber, AI and Regulation Headline the 2025 Risk Landscape
As the digital landscape grows more complex and threat actors become more sophisticated, business leaders across the globe are sounding the alarm on their most urgent risks for 2025.

• Nearly three-quarters (74%) of organizations report increased cybersecurity and data privacy concerns, with the most common threats including malware (44%) and AI-powered exploits (28%).
• Recent and prominent cyberattacks across the globe have only fueled business leaders' concerns over keeping sensitive information secure - cybersecurity threats rank among the most significant business challenges to organizations (47%), followed by AI developments and integration (43%).
• Only 12% of companies feel "completely prepared" to address the global patchwork of data privacy laws, exposing significant compliance gaps at a time when regulatory requirements are becoming more complex. Countries like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, Singapore and the U.S. are among those feeling the most adequately prepared.
• Despite more than three-quarters of respondents believing AI will deliver measurable ROI, only 41% of companies have AI policies and guidance in place and slightly more than a third (34%) have implemented continuous monitoring, leaving organizations exposed to unregulated decision-making, compliance failures and ethical risks.

Brent Tomlinson, Co-President, Risk Advisory at Kroll says, "Global business leaders are managing a more complex and interdependent risk environment than ever before. Cyber incidents are increasingly timed to disrupt highly visible infrastructure or financial deal cycles, crypto currency is deeply embedded in the mechanics of financial crime, and digital threats are translating into physical consequences. In this context, we expect demand for advanced risk intelligence and enterprise risk mitigation to accelerate in the second half of 2025, as leadership teams act decisively to protect value and build operational resilience."

Business Confidence Wanes Amid Economic and Geopolitical Instability
Financial uncertainty and geopolitical tensions are creating a volatile landscape for global businesses in 2025, forcing leaders to navigate a complex mix of economic, regulatory and operational risks.

• Fewer than 1 in 10 business leaders express full confidence in their company's financial health, though 70% expect some degree of improvement even as they confront the challenges ahead.
• Globally, one in three respondents ranked geopolitical tensions among their top business challenges for the year ahead, with companies in the U.S., UK and Europe most likely to see it as a major concern. Tariffs, technology controls and cybercrime, supply chain disruption, regulatory shifts, and sanctions were cited as the highest areas of geopolitical concern.
• U.S. companies indexed higher than global peers on concerns regarding inflation and domestic political tensions, while evolving data privacy regulations worry European companies more than other regions.
• Geopolitical tensions are amplifying supply chain risks and increasing the threat of attacks on critical infrastructure. Only 28% of global business leaders say they feel "very prepared" to address geopolitical tensions and trade disruption.

Michael H. Dolan, President, Financial Advisory at Kroll says, "Tariffs dominate the geopolitical-related anxieties of business leaders. The paralysis caused by this tariff concern has led to significant business challenges, including liquidity and financing struggles, restricted fund exits and capital lockups. Not only are we actively engaged with our clients on these challenges but also on how to manage the more direct impact of tariffs on their business – keeping pulse on the many flavors of tariffs, calculating tariff exposure, evaluating mitigation strategies, and assessing restructuring opportunities related to supply chains, so that they can continue to move goods around the globe in a compliant, but efficient manner, and stay ahead of an ever complex operating environment."

Momentum Across Automation
While risks are rising across the globe for business leaders, there is encouraging momentum in automation and digital transformation, which are helping to alleviate some pain points.

• Approximately 90% of organizations report some degree of automation across business activities, with IT and cybersecurity functions becoming highly automated and digitized, especially in the Middle East, South Africa, the U.S. and Brazil.
• Across the board, at least four in 10 business leaders are increasing budgets, expanding teams, upskilling and/or hiring external help for AI integration, tech advancements, cybersecurity challenges and data privacy concerns.

You can access the full 2025 Global Business Sentiment Survey: Resilience, Risks and Preparedness on the Kroll website.

Notes to Editors

About Kroll
As the leading independent provider of financial and risk advisory solutions, Kroll leverages our unique insights, data and technology to help clients stay ahead of complex valuation demands. Kroll's team of more than 6,500 professionals worldwide continues the firm's nearly 100-year history of trusted expertise spanning risk, governance, transactions and valuation. Our advanced solutions and intelligence provide clients the foresight they need to create an enduring competitive advantage. At Kroll, our values define who we are and how we partner with clients and communities. Learn more at kroll.com.

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