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As we enter 2026, the business landscape across Greater China continues to evolve. What feels different this time is that the change is no longer just cyclical — it is increasingly structural, reshaping how organizations operate, compete, and grow.
Over the past several months, we conducted in-depth, one-on-one interviews with 304 senior executives across the Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. These insights form the basis of our 2026 Greater China C-Suite Confidence Insights Report.
Participants included CEOs and board-level leaders from a wide range of industries and organizations of different sizes. Rather than a traditional survey, these conversations offered a forward-looking perspective on how leaders are thinking about both the challenges of today and the opportunities ahead.
At the core of these discussions is a consistent theme: in an environment defined by uncertainty, organizations must recalibrate their path to growth—and ensure that strategy is not only clearly defined but effectively executed.
One of the most notable findings in this year’s report is the growing divergence between how executives view their industries and how they view their own organizations.
Overall, industry confidence has declined, while confidence at the company level has remained relatively stable. This suggests that as external conditions become more complex, leaders are taking a more cautious view of the broader market—yet remain confident in their own ability to respond and adapt.
This divergence reflects the capabilities organizations have built over the past several years. Many have become more agile and more resilient, better equipped to navigate uncertainty and sustain performance under pressure.
The shift in confidence is directly translating into a recalibration of strategic priorities.
Our findings show that domestic growth has become the top priority for many organizations, while global expansion is gaining importance. At the same time, strategies driven purely by cost efficiency are becoming less dominant. This does not suggest a move towards conservatism, but rather a more disciplined and deliberate approach to resource allocation.
Differences also emerge across company types. Domestic companies tend to show a stronger appetite for market expansion, actively pursuing growth opportunities and market share gains. In contrast, multinational organizations are placing greater emphasis on operational efficiency and organizational optimization.
At the same time, shifting competitive dynamics are reshaping executive priorities. Compared to macroeconomic volatility, competitive pressure from peers is becoming more immediate and persistent.
As business strategies become more measured, the talent market is undergoing its own structural shift.
On the one hand, most organizations are taking a more disciplined approach to headcount, prioritizing stability while continuing to support growth. On the other hand, talent mobility remains active, but decision-making on both sides is becoming more considered. Candidates are placing greater emphasis on long-term development and alignment with the external environment when evaluating opportunities.
At the same time, the adoption of flexible workforce models continues. Organizations are increasingly leveraging more agile hiring approaches to access critical capabilities at specific stages of growth. This allows them to enhance responsiveness while maintaining cost discipline.
Taken together, these trends point to a growing need for more flexible organizational structures—where adaptability is not just a response to uncertainty, but an embedded capability.
Across all topics, artificial intelligence remains a defining variable that organizations cannot afford to ignore.
Compared to last year, the approach to AI is clearly shifting from exploration to practical application. Many executives are already seeing tangible benefits in areas such as operational efficiency and customer experience. At the same time, uncertainty around return on investment persists, leading organizations to take a more measured approach to scaling their AI initiatives.
What defines this stage is a shift from a technology-led mindset to a value-driven one. The question is no longer whether to adopt AI, but how effectively it delivers outcomes in specific business contexts.
From a talent perspective, AI is not simply replacing roles—it is reshaping them. Responsibilities and capability requirements are evolving, which means organizations must invest not only in technology, but also in upgrading their talent and organizational models in parallel.
Rupert Forster, Senior Managing Director at PageGroup Greater China, shared the key findings from 2026 Greater China C-Suite Confidence Insights Report in Shanghai offline event on Mar 26.
When it comes to going global, Chinese companies remain in a phase of active exploration and deepening engagement.
While some organizations have yet to formalize their international expansion plans, a growing number are taking a more structured approach to entering overseas markets. From a regional perspective, Southeast Asia continues to be a key focus, while North America and Europe remain firmly on the strategic radar.
More importantly, talent requirements in support of global expansion are becoming increasingly well defined. Individuals who combine Greater China working experience with a deep understanding of the oversea market are emerging as critical enablers of global growth strategies.
Overall, while many Chinese companies are still at an early stage in their globalization journey, the pace is accelerating and the path forward is becoming increasingly clear.
External uncertainty is here to stay. But this does not diminish opportunity—rather, it redefines where true advantage is created.
Markets may shift and technologies may evolve, but long-term differentiation will continue to come from organizational strength and the calibre of talent who bring strategy to life.
In 2026, the challenge for leaders is not to remove uncertainty, but to navigate it with clarity—anchoring decisions in disciplined execution and purposeful intent. In an environment where little feels certain, this remains the most reliable foundation for growth.
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Rupert is Senior Managing Director for PageGroup’s Greater China business. After graduating, Rupert spent five years in technical and commercial positions in the industrial sector. On joining Michael Page in the UK, Rupert was responsible for setting...
