CEOs in Central and Eastern Europe are focussing on short-term growth, PwC’s latest survey finds.
CEOs in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) are showing renewed short-term confidence in revenue growth, bucking a global trend of declining CEO optimism. But there’s more caution over the next three years. CEOs in CEE are navigating a complex operating environment shaped by rapid technological change, geopolitical uncertainty, and economic pressures. They’ve shown remarkable resilience in the face of these and managing short-term challenges.
PwC’s 29th Annual Global CEO Survey—CEE edition, however, suggests that pressure to focus on immediate priorities can overshadow the need for critical investments in technology and innovation.
AI, geopolitical risks
Despite widespread interest in AI, most CEOs in the region have yet to see business gains. Some 73 per cent of CEE CEOs say AI has had little or no effect on revenue, and 57 per cent report costs have remained unchanged—both higher than global averages. Only 12 per cent of CEE CEOs say their organisations have realised both cost savings and revenue growth from AI. These are companies who strong foundational capabilities.
Geopolitical uncertainty remains a major concern. The share of CEOs in CEE reporting high exposure to geopolitical risk rose from 34 per cent to 39 per cent over the past year. Macroeconomic volatility also increased from 32 per cent to 37 per cent.
Reflecting global trade tensions, tariffs have emerged as a new threat, significantly affect 15 per cent of CEOs in CEE. Nearly one-third of CEOs in the region anticipate tariffs to negatively impact profit margins.
In response to geopolitical threats, 48 per cent of CEOs in CEE plan to enhance enterprise-wide cybersecurity defences.
High innovation ambitions and lagging executions
Innovation remains a strategic focus, with 41 per cent of CEOs citing it as central to their plans. However, fewer than one in five consistently apply critical innovation practices such as tolerating risk, terminating underperforming initiatives, or establishing innovation hubs.
Nevertheless, almost half (49 per cent) of CEOs in CEE report they’ve entered new sectors over the past five years—above the 42 per cent global average. Out of those that have, 61 per cent report these new sectors contribute 10–50 per cent of revenue. This reflects how technology and geopolitics are reshaping how value is created, and many companies in CEE are already finding new sectors to grow in.
Short-term resilience, but focus needs also to be on long-term growth
CEOs in CEE spend 57 per cent of their time on priorities with horizons under one year, compared with 47 per cent globally. Only 11 per cent time is dedicated to decisions five years and beyond. This short-term focus limits the long-term reinvention essential for sustainable growth and competitiveness.
“Globally, growth is one of the biggest challenges for CEOs,” says Adam Krasoń, CEO, PwC CEE. “This includes a search for new markets, new business models, and new ways to deploy technology. It’s good to see that CEOs in our region are feeling more confident than their global counterparts about revenue growth in 2026. They’ve shown resilience amid challenges like geopolitical instability, cyber threats, and tariffs. These pressures push businesses to focus on immediate needs, balancing urgent priorities with longer-term investments, including technology.
“Despite this ‘business as unusual’ environment, many are entering new sectors and creating new income sources. AI adoption in CEE is still early, with limited impact on revenue or cost savings.”
Agnieszka Gajewska, Partner, CEE Clients and Markets Leader and Global Government & Public Services Leader, adds: “My first thought from this year’s survey: the need for reinvention remains urgent. Most CEOs in our region spend over half of their time on short-term activities.
“There’s a clear requirement for bold, long-term vision. This means accelerating digital transformation, strengthening AI capabilities, and embedding resilience into business models. This is what turns cautious optimism today into lasting growth tomorrow.”
Photo: Dreamstime.