Confidence among Hong Kong’s business leaders has rebounded strongly, outpacing the global average, as executives become more optimistic about economic growth while staying sensitive to short-term pressures such as cyber threats, rising stakeholder trust demands and geopolitical uncertainty.
According to PwC’s 29th Global CEO Survey released on Friday, 98 percent of chief executive officers in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region expect revenue to rise over the next three years, compared with 87 percent globally.
More than 60 percent of Hong Kong CEOs said they are confident about local economic growth, up from 40 percent in last year’s survey. Expectations for the global economy have also improved, with 70 percent of Hong Kong CEOs forecasting growth over the next 12 months, up from 62 percent a year earlier and above the global average.
Charles Lee, vice chair and managing partner of PwC China, attributed the return of confidence to tangible improvements in Hong Kong’s economic performance. According to the Census and Statistics Department, the city’s gross domestic product expanded by 3.5 percent in 2025, its third consecutive year of growth, beating an earlier forecast of 3.2 percent. Lee said the positive momentum is expected to carry into this year.
The growing number of initial public offerings and tourist arrivals, together with stable unemployment and inflation compared with global levels, have also helped lift confidence, Lee said.
Another key driver is Hong Kong’s embrace of artificial intelligence. The survey shows that 58 percent of Hong Kong CEOs reported revenue gains from AI, twice the global average.
“Hong Kong’s strengths in innovation — particularly in AI — are built on solid foundations,” said Loretta Fong, sustainability assurance leader of PwC Hong Kong SAR. Business leaders in the city “cited some key enablers well above their global peers, including an enabling culture, ease of technical integration and the ability to attract the right talent,” she added.
As to the adoption of AI, Lee said Hong Kong CEOs have a higher risk appetite than global peers in terms of innovation.
“However, one consequence of this is that cybersecurity and data governance are much greater concerns for Hong Kong CEOs than they are globally,” Lee said, warning that this may slow down their broader strategy implementation.
The survey covering 4,453 CEOs in 95 countries and regions shows that 56 percent of Hong Kong respondents ranked cybersecurity risks as the top threat, above macroeconomic volatility and geopolitical uncertainty.
This is accompanied by the need for strong data governance — 68 percent of Hong Kong companies face stakeholder scrutiny on data use, privacy and transparency, above the global average of around 40 percent.
The survey also found that a growing number of global CEOs view the Chinese mainland as one of the top three investment destinations. This has supported the pickup of Hong Kong equities and mergers and acquisitions.
For mainland business leaders, the United States remains the top investment destination, but their choices have diversified, with more interest being shown in markets such as Malaysia, Vietnam and the United Arab Emirates.
“The growing appetite for inbound investment into the mainland should play to the Hong Kong SAR’s strengths as a critical gateway between China and the global economy,” Lee said.
Contact the writer at irisli@chinadailyhk.com
