Muscat – CEOs in the GCC countries, including Oman, are among the most confident globally about revenue growth in 2025, as revealed in PwC’s 28th Annual CEO Survey. However, the survey also finds that regional chief executives are acutely aware of the enormous wave of disruptive change, primarily driven by AI, climate challenges, and intensifying competition over new areas of growth as industry boundaries blur.

The survey reveals that the region’s CEOs are striking a difficult balance – seizing significant market opportunities today while also reinventing their businesses for tomorrow.

PwC’s annual survey of CEOs globally and across the Middle East reflects the collective voice of business leaders, offering valuable insights into the opportunities they see, the challenges they face, and the path forward.

The survey revealed that 87% of CEOs in Oman are confident of revenue growth in 2025. Regional findings show strong confidence among CEOs in their companies’ revenue growth, with 90% of GCC CEOs particularly optimistic about revenue growth in 2025.

Around 69% of Omani CEOs expect to increase headcount within the next 12 months. This is higher than the GCC average, as 61% of GCC CEOs expect to increase headcount this year, compared to just 42% of their global peers, and up from 55% in 2024. However, one-third of GCC CEOs (34%) cited skills shortages as a major concern.

Hani Ashkar, PwC Middle East Senior Partner, said, “The Middle East’s optimism reflects a remarkable ability to adapt and innovate in the face of global challenges. CEOs in the region are adopting bold strategies to drive growth and competitiveness, advance sustainability, and integrate AI into their businesses. These efforts are reinforcing the region’s role as a dynamic hub for business and investment, ensuring long-term value creation for stakeholders and communities alike.”

For GCC CEOs, the urgency to reinvent is clear. A striking 60% of regional CEOs now believe their businesses will not survive ‘within the next 10 years or less’ without significant adaptation – a notable increase from last year, when fewer than half expressed similar concerns.

CEOs in the Middle East recognise that traditional business models are increasingly unsustainable in the face of transformative shifts, primarily driven by AI, the climate crisis, and industry convergence.

A notable 88% of GCC CEOs have adopted GenAI in the last 12 months, exceeding global averages and reflecting greater confidence in the technology’s potential. Seventy per cent of GCC CEOs also believe that GenAI will increase profitability in 2025. In Oman, 87% of CEOs have adopted AI in the last 12 months, according to the survey findings.

On climate, 79% of regional CEOs have initiated climate-friendly investments in the last five years. CEOs also recognise that there is fierce competition over new areas of growth as industry boundaries blur. This is highlighted by 43% of regional CEOs indicating that they are already competing in new sectors or industries, 53% have targeted a new customer base within the last five years, and 72% expect to do a deal outside their industry or sector in the next three years.

Stephen Anderson, Partner and Middle East Strategy Leader at PwC Middle East, said, “Middle East CEOs are more confident than their global peers, capturing significant market opportunities in our region, while also proactively reinventing their businesses. Our confident CEOs are embracing AI, adapting their businesses for the opportunities and threats associated with climate change, and fiercely competing outside their industry to capture new value domains.”

Alongside growth and reinvention, regional CEOs remain vigilant over the increasing threat landscape. GCC CEOs cited cybersecurity as their main concern, closely followed by geopolitical risk, macroeconomic volatility, and technological disruption.