CEO Survey 2026
12 min read
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
A survey based on responses from senior executives at Denmark’s top 200 companies.
Across all respondents, a clear picture emerges: the ability to balance risk management with growth, whilst making decisions in an unpredictable market, is crucial to success. Overall, the analysis points to a shift towards a more disciplined and strategic approach to growth, where resilience and adaptability are key to navigating uncertainty.
Executive insights
- Growth expectations are moderate but characterised by significant uncertainty
- AI is moving from experimentation to strategic integration
- Cyber resilience has become a business-critical priority
- Workforce decisions reflect a more disciplined approach to costs
- Strategic adaptability emerges as the most important leadership competence
- The role of the board is evolving, with an increased focus on value-creating dialogue
Overall, a picture is emerging of a management agenda in which resilience, adaptability and technological transformation are closely interlinked priorities.
Cyber Resilience
56.1% of executives plan to increase their investment in cyber resilience, which underlines its growing strategic importance.
Artificial Intelligence
- AI is becoming a key driver across the organisation and is moving from experimental projects towards genuine strategic integration.
- 51.2% of executives describe AI as experimental, whilst a growing proportion already view it as a strategic or business-critical part of the organisation.
- Particularly within operations, decision support and commercial functions, AI is seen as having the potential to create a lasting competitive advantage. At the same time, management is calling for clearer governance and prioritisation of investments.
Layoffs & Workforce Adjustments
A growing proportion of CEOs expect workforce reductions in 2026, suggesting a more cautious and cost-conscious market.
Geopolitical Uncertainty
- Macroeconomic uncertainty and geopolitical tensions are the dominant concerns among CEOs and are having a significant impact on the strategic agenda.
- Supply chains, investment and market access are increasingly affected by external factors beyond the company’s control. CEOs are therefore engaging more actively in scenario planning and risk diversification, including considerations regarding nearshoring and the diversification of supply chains.
People & Leadership
Strategic adaptability is highlighted as the most critical leadership competence, cited by 92.9% of respondents.
Board Collaboration
- Cooperation between the executive management and the board of directors is evolving. 62.5% of CEOs believe that the board of directors could contribute even more to the company’s success, particularly in the form of strategic advice and industry insight.
- Although a large proportion believe that the board possesses the right skills, several point to untapped potential in this collaboration, particularly in complex and changing market conditions.
