Business leaders, the latestbenchmark for mid-marketstrategyhas arrived:HLB International has unveiled its2026Global Survey of Business Leaders:Reinventing Transformation in Volatile Times.
Drawingonresponses and insightsfromnearly 1,000C-suite executives and business owners across 50 countries and 15 key industry sectors, the 2026 report provides acomprehensive look at how the world’scompaniesare navigatingatechnologicallyand geopolitically tumultuous year.
It alsooffers adata-backed roadmap for those tasked with steering organizations through the complexities of the modern economy.
It is essential reading for:
- Business Owners and CEOslooking to benchmark their 2026 growth targets againstindustrypeers.
- Chief Financial Officersseekingto balance aggressive technology investments with disciplined risk management.
- Operational Leaderstasked with bridging the “AI literacy gap” within their internal teams.
- Strategic Plannersreadyto transition from rigid long-term forecasting to more agile, adaptive models.
This year’smethodologyspecifically targeted leaders within the middle market—the engine room of the global economy—to understandthe tools and strategiestop performers areusing tooutpace competitors.
Fromthe adoption of new decision-making techniquesto themostfrequentlycited area of weakness, the 2026 survey reveals that the gap between high-performers and the rest of the market is widening.
In the full report,you’lldiscover:
- Why60% of leaders areincreasing techspendwhile cutting traditional overhead.
- Why cybersecurity is nowthemost important marketing tool.
- Why“Return to Office”mandates mightbe costingyou your most innovative thinkers.
- Whytop performers— surveyed companies that saw a profit marginincrease of 5% or more yearoveryear— haveabandonedthe traditional 5-year plan (and whatthey’vereplacedit with).
Industry Highlights
TheHLB Global Surveydelves deeper intotheprojectedoutlook, risk factors,investment priorities, and otherinsightsofleadersinadditionaldedicated reportsspotlightingthree keyindustrysectorsthis year:,, and.A particular area of interest is howvolatility hasimpactedthe traditionalplanning cyclesof each industry:
- Technology
“The technology sector operates with the shortest horizons: 28% of respondents use either continuous or sub-12-month planning cycles.” - Retail
“Retail shows a similar move toward rapid cycles, with 62% of leaders planning continuously or within 2 years.” - Manufacturing
“Manufacturing displays the widest divergence. Just over half of respondents plan on rapid cycles, while theremainderrely on longer horizons, with 47% still using three-to-five+ year roadmaps.”
Credit: Chart courtesy of HLB Survey of Business Leaders 2026
Clickto access the full report and see how your strategy compares— globally, within North America,or.
Q: What is HLB International?
A: HLB Internationalis a global network of independent advisory and accounting firmscomprising51,948 professionals across 155 countries. èƵ is a member of the HLB network,leveragingourlocalexpertiseand global capabilities to serviceourclients’needs.
Q: What is themethodologyof The HLB Survey of Business Leaders 2026?
A: Responses to the survey werecollected between September and November 2025. The research includes insights from 1,113 business leaders across 45 countries and a wide range of industries. Quantitative survey data is complemented by qualitative input, including in-depth interviews with three external experts, providing perspectives on global megatrends, artificial intelligence, customer experience management, businessstrategyand macroeconomic conditions.