BrazilSaudi CEOs highly confident about economy and company growth in 2025
Against the backdrop of a backlash in global CEO confidence, chief executive officers in Saudi Arabia remain highly optimistic about the nation’s outlook and the revenue growth of the company they lead, according to PwC’s annual CEO Survey.
Saudi Arabia’s bold economic diversification strategy is yielding tangible results, fuelling confidence among business leaders about the Kingdom’s future. That is the headline conclusion of PwC’s report, which canvassed the views of CEOs across the nation and compared their views to those of peers in the Middle East and worldwide.
In the Kingdom, 77% of business leaders said that they are confident of domestic economic growth, higher than the 71% of their GCC peers, the 64% in the Middle East, and the 57% of CEOs globally reflecting on their own territories. This high confidence in Saudi’s economic growth is also shared right across the region, with the Kingdom cited as the top country in the region that other country CEOs are looking to invest in, outside of their own territories.
This optimism extends to the CEOs’ own organisations in Saudi Arabia, with 98% of CEOs confident in their company's revenue growth over the coming year, rising to 100% over the next three years.
Workforce
Buoyed by their confidence, CEOs in the Kingdom have ambitious plans to expand their workforce, with 70% indicating intentions to increase headcount – significantly higher than the 42% globally. This is driven in part by a combination of the growing private sector, incoming international firms, more women joining the workforce, Saudisation targets and emerging skills economies.
At the same time, Saudi business leaders are concerned about the feasibility of expanding their talent base, with 40% citing skill shortages as a concern for 2025.
The top concern cited by CEOs was however cyber, with 49% of CEOs reporting their companies as highly or extremely exposed – more than doubling from 20% the previous year. In response, business leaders are increasing investments in digital resilience, strengthening cyber defences, and embedding advanced AI-driven security solutions to safeguard their organisations against emerging risks.
Geopolitical conflict in the wider region, and globally, remains front of mind for business leaders in Saudi.
2025: AI’s breakthrough year
Like their counterparts across the region, CEOs in Saudi Arabia recognise the transformative potential of disruptive technologies, such as AI and GenAI, to reshape enterprises and entire industries. PwC’s survey found that 81% of CEOs have adopted GenAI in the past 12 months, aligning with global adoption trends.
This is yielding tangible results claimed PwC’s research, with two-thirds of CEOs in Saudi Arabia reporting that Gen AI has boosted profitability within their organisations over the past 12 months and an equal proportion reporting increased revenue – surpassing their peers across the region and globally in both metrics.
“CEOs in Saudi Arabia are leading the region in AI adoption, positioning the Kingdom as a global hub for digital transformation. The rapid integration of AI and emerging technologies is already driving significant gains in efficiency and profitability, reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s competitive advantage on the world stage,” said Faisal Alsarraj, Deputy Country Leader for Saudi Arabia at PwC.
Commenting on the report’s overall findings, Riyadh AlNajjar, Middle East Chairman and KSA Country Senior Partner at PwC, said: “Saudi Arabia’s business leaders are at the forefront of one of the world’s most dynamic economic transformations. Their strong commitment to digital innovation, sustainability and sector diversification is not just about embracing change – it’s about driving it.”
“As Saudi Arabia advances its Vision 2030 economic diversification agenda, businesses are accelerating AI and Gen AI adoption, forging strategic partnerships and strengthening their commitment to environmental and social sustainability.”
