Business leaders are sounding the alarm as global risk levels shift sharply over just eight months. Research from Beazley shows that geopolitical uncertainty, supply chain disruption and inflation are increasingly shaping business strategy and boardroom priorities. Political tensions are increasingly affecting profitability, dampening growth plans and prompting a reassessment of supply chains to navigate global volatility, a trend that has accelerated since January.

In the August follow-up, 88% of executives said the political landscape will affect their ability to trade profitably, a marked increase from 69% in January. Concern over the wider economic environment has also intensified, with 83% reporting that current geopolitical and economic uncertainty will limit their growth ambitions, up from 68% earlier in the year. Companies are responding by adjusting their suppliers or supply chains, a trend seen by 87% of respondents compared with 75% in January.

Longer-term priorities have shifted as well, according to the data. More than 32% of executives said they plan to review the security of overseas operations, up from 23% in 2024. Macroeconomic instability is now cited by 26% as their single greatest threat, up from 21%, while inflation concerns edged higher, with 27% highlighting it as a major concern and expectations rising to 28% by January 2026.

Bethany Greenwood, group head of specialty risks at Beazley, said that proactively reassessing risks can still help firms to move confidently towards growth.

“While it’s easy to get caught up in short-term disruptions, the real opportunity lies in looking ahead. Growth is still possible – but it demands sharper foresight, faster adaptation and a clear view of where risk meets opportunity," she added.

Beazley's survey was conducted with Opinion Matters and included more than 3,500 business leaders and insurance buyers from companies operating internationally across the UK, US, Canada, Singapore, France, Germany and Spain. Respondents represented a broad range of company sizes, from £250,000 to over £1 billion in annual revenue. While the sample is limited, it reflects companies most exposed to sophisticated cyber, geopolitical and economic risks.

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