More evidence has emerged of the burgeoning confidence among business leaders in the GCC as investment in innovation and AI across the region continues apace.
In the latest survey of global CEOs by PwC, leaders across the Middle East show significantly higher levels of confidence both in their national economy and in the prospects for their own business than their global counterparts. An overwhelming 93% of CEOs based in the GCC expect their national economy to improve this year, compared with 88% in the wider Middle East and 55% globally. Confidence levels among CEOs in Qatar and Oman are particularly high, with 97% and 94% predicting growth in their own territory in the coming year.
This is not wishful thinking. The survey also shows that CEOs in the Middle East reported average revenue growth of 12% in their most recent fiscal year, compared with 8% among business leaders globally. Around three-quarters of CEOs in the region (compared with just under half of global CEOs) expect to see revenue growth over the next three years.
The defining factors in CEOs’ confidence in the region, according to the survey, are ‘strong economic fundamentals’, relatively limited exposure to higher US tariffs, the Middle East’s strategic position along east-west trade corridors, and a focus on long-term transformation.
Not surprisingly, the Middle East is attracting investment flows. Saudi Arabia and the UAE rank among the top 10 destinations for international investment by world CEOs over the coming 12 months.
The combination of rising confidence and strong foreign direct investment is creating a fertile ground for strategic M&As. Almost three-quarters of CEOs in the Middle East and close to 80% in the GCC say they expect to make at least one major acquisition (defined as worth more than 10% of their company’s assets) in the next three years compared with just 41% of CEOs globally.
AI and innovation
Multibillion-dollar investments in AI infrastructure across the GCC and a coordinated approach across the public and private sectors is accelerating AI adoption and innovation across the region.
The survey shows that CEOs in the GCC and across the Middle East are adopting and integrating AI more quickly than the global average, and across multiple areas of the business.
Some 70% of CEOs in the Middle East say they have a clearly defined roadmap for AI, compared with a global average of 51%, and 59% say they are able to attract the high-quality, technical AI talent they need, compared with 42% globally.
Threats and concerns
Business leaders in the Middle East are racing ahead with innovation, but almost a third (32%) say they are worried about whether they are transforming quickly enough to keep pace with technological change. Even so, this figure compares favourably with the 42% of CEOs globally who say the same.
Geopolitical conflict remains the most significant threat for CEOs in the region, although the proportion identifying this as a key concern has fallen since 2025. Cyber risk is also of concern to business leaders, but the proportion of CEOs identifying it as a threat has also fallen since 2025, while global concern has risen by seven percentage points over the same period. This, says the report, ‘likely reflects higher levels of regulatory compliance and sustained pressure on organisations to strengthen their cyber controls, resulting in greater maturity in the Middle East’.
