Leaders in Southeast Asia are approaching the year ahead with measured confidence—optimistic about opportunities within the APEC region but more cautious about the broader global economy.
According to Deloitte’s inaugural APEC CEO Survey, Bridging the Certainty Gap, 75 percemt of surveyed leaders are optimistic about their own company’s outlook. Confidence remains strong for the APEC economy as well, with 66 percent expressing optimism, though this drops to just 46 percent when asked about the global economic environment.
The report captures executive sentiment across the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) region, examining leaders’ perspectives on their organizations and the global economy, along with their views on risk, opportunity, capital strategy, sustainability, geopolitics, and the role of emerging technologies and AI.
“Leaders across Southeast Asia are confident in their own companies’ performance, see tangible opportunities across the APEC region, yet remain cautious about the broader global outlook. We see this as a ‘certainty gap’ that leaders must bridge with strategic vision that turns disruption into opportunity,” said Eugene Ho, Chief Executive Officer of Deloitte SEA.
“Our survey shows that Southeast Asian business leaders are managing risk by diversifying supply chains and delaying major investments amid geopolitical uncertainty. They are using technology as a key growth driver today while focusing on innovation and sustainability for the long term. Beyond immediate concerns, leaders are embedding AI into operational resilience and preparing for mandatory sustainability reporting and sustainable financing. This purposeful agility positions businesses in the region for sustained growth, supported by cooperation within the APEC bloc,” he added.
Growth: Levers, Pivots, and Pathways
Southeast Asian business leaders remain focused on growth, but their strategies are evolving. Operational efficiency is giving way to innovation-led expansion and the pursuit of new cross-border opportunities. The dynamic and fast-changing environment reflected in the survey is creating new demands on organizations and leadership team.
Currently, 45 percent of Southeast Asian respondents cite technology application as their top growth lever. However, this focus is expected to shift: in three years, 47 percent plan to prioritize new products and innovation, up from 28 percent today. Geographic expansion is also accelerating, with executives expecting revenue from APEC economies to rise from 17% today to 35% within three years.
Operations and Supply Chain: Building Future Resilience
Supply chains are increasingly viewed as strategic assets—agile, adaptive, and central to competitive advantage. Over the next 12 months, half of Southeast Asian leaders (50 percent) plan to expand or diversify their supply chains, investing in regional hubs, alternative suppliers, and digital tools that enhance visibility into supplier performance and logistics flows. Only 12 percent expect no changes to their supply chains.
Sustainability Momentum
Sustainability continues to gain prominence. While just 21 percent of Southeast Asian leaders expect sustainability to disrupt business strategy in the next 12 months, this figure nearly doubles to 40 percent within three years. Furthermore, 69 percent consider sustainability critical to their capital strategy, reflecting the rising importance of sustainable finance across the region.
The survey reflects insights from 1,252 senior APEC business leaders across 18 economies and more than a dozen industries, including over 270 leaders from Southeast Asia representing multinationals, regional enterprises, and high-growth private firms.
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