Optimism among Polish CEOs takes center stage in the Polish edition of the 29th CEO Survey, “Leadership in Times of Uncertainty and in the Age of AI.”
As many as 82% of Polish executives surveyed expect Poland’s GDP to grow over the next 12 months, and 63% anticipate an increase in global GDP. A similarly strong 58% of Polish respondents expect their companies’ revenues to rise over the coming year, compared with just 31% globally.
This optimism fades over a three-year horizon: only 34% of CEOs in Poland are confident their companies’ revenues will grow, versus a global figure of 49%.
Optimism does not mean a lack of concern
Compared with last year’s edition of the survey, the share of Polish CEOs worried about macroeconomic uncertainty rose sharply (from 37% to 55%), as did concern about geopolitical conflicts (from 27% to 37%). Both figures are also higher than the global averages for these risks, which stand at 31% and 23%, respectively.
This year, concerns related to tariffs also appear on the list—largely as a result of US economic policy—cited by 21% of Polish CEOs. Meanwhile, perceived threats from inflation declined significantly compared with last year (from 32% to 13%), as did concerns about cybersecurity (from 20% to 16%) and the availability of key talent (from 17% to 8%).
“The year ahead will bring new developments and change—both in terms of global rules for cooperation and trade, and in the technological transformation of Polish companies. Our study clearly shows that this area will be a priority for both Polish and global business. The biggest question is no longer whether to transform, but how to transform safely and responsibly. That means market expertise, system modernization and further investment are needed. And our investment capacity is crucial in all of this. Thanks to it—and to new technologies—we have a unique opportunity next year to join the leaders of Europe’s new economy and, as a result, secure a lasting place in the G20,”
says Michał Mastalerz, CEO and Managing Partner of PwC Poland.
What is holding Polish companies back?
Leaders of Polish companies point to several key constraints on their operations. Above all, they cite reduced access to capital for new investments (39% of respondents) and a suboptimal organizational structure within their companies (37%).
Additional constraints include unnecessary bureaucratic processes (29%), difficulties in finding and retaining specialists (24%), and excessive internal procedures (24%). Technological limitations rank last, mentioned by only 16% of Polish CEOs.
“Trade tensions, a volatile macroeconomic environment and a growing number of cyberattacks have become the new normal for Polish CEOs in recent years. The pressure from these factors is very strong, but it seems to be gradually easing. Looking at macroeconomic indicators, everything suggests the coming year will be very favorable for Polish business—whether due to low interest rates, inflation being brought under control, or capital inflows from the National Recovery Plan (KPO). This is definitely good news for companies planning new investments and further transformations, but the question of ‘how to turn this impulse into long-term growth’ still seems to weigh on Polish CEOs,”
adds Mariusz Dziurdzia, Partner at PwC Poland and Management Board Member responsible for Clients and Markets.
The biggest questions on CEOs’ minds: the future of their businesses
The issues that worry Polish business leaders most are, above all, those that determine their companies’ future. As many as 41% of respondents fear that the pace of change within their organizations may not be sufficient to keep up with technology and AI.
At the same time, similar shares (38%) worry about long-term competitiveness, the impact of geopolitical events on their businesses, and how to balance adequate employee pay with the need to reduce labor costs. Further down the list are concerns about threats from new market entrants or achieving growth despite restrictive regulations and limited resources—each cited by only 8% of respondents.
“Surprisingly little attention is still paid to demographic challenges in Poland, which is evident both in our survey and in conversations with Polish business leaders. Domestic companies seem convinced that talent and key skills in the labor market are within easy reach, while the data increasingly suggests the opposite. Globally, we see far greater awareness of this risk: 22% of CEOs worry about the availability of key talent, compared with 8% in the Polish sample. Companies should seriously consider the scale of their investment in employee skills to avoid long-term stagnation,”
argues Katarzyna Podgórna, Partner for Human Capital and Management Board Member at PwC Poland.
High hopes for AI—yet a different mindset than globally
Polish CEOs place strong hopes in artificial intelligence tools, and some point to a tangible impact of AI on corporate financial performance. 23% of Polish leaders say AI has contributed to revenue growth, and 42% say AI has helped reduce costs.
While a similar share of CEOs globally report revenue growth (30%), far fewer indicate cost reductions (26%), and as many as 22% claim AI has actually increased costs in their companies.
This highlights the biggest difference in attitudes toward AI: Polish leaders seem to treat AI primarily as a tool, while global leaders increasingly view it as a pathway to a deep transformation of how their organizations operate.
About the CEO Survey
The survey was conducted among CEOs of small, medium and large enterprises in 95 countries and territories between September 30 and November 10, 2025. Global and regional data are weighted in proportion to each country’s nominal gross domestic product, ensuring that CEOs’ views are broadly representative of all major regions. Industry- and country-level results are based on unweighted data from the full sample of 4,454 CEOs. The Polish sample included 38 CEOs, while the Central and Eastern Europe sample comprised 240 CEOs.
Source: https://ceo.com.pl/58-polskich-prezesow-spodziewa-sie-wzrostu-przychodow-globalnie-tylko-31-38411
