High-performing CEOs are transforming disruption into growth
Disruption isn’t going away. If anything, it’s accelerating. And the CEOs that are winning aren’t the ones who sit tight and wait it out. They’re leaning in, making bold moves, and using chaos to realign, acquire, and reinvent. According to the 2025 AlixPartners Disruption Index, 91% of top-performing CEOs, those leading both in growth and profitability, are planning transformative acquisitions. Another 65% are shifting their business models altogether.
This kind of leadership comes from recognizing that new business models, industry convergence, and technology shifts are rewiring how companies deliver value. Top executives are acting decisively instead of waiting for stability to return. They view this disruptive landscape as fertile ground to do what slower competitors won’t: reshape their organizations around speed, innovation, and future demand.
For leaders reading this, consider what that means in practice. It means forward deployment of capital in uncertain times. It means growing through M&A while others are downsizing. It means restructuring value chains, not just tweaking them. That’s real operational leadership, seen clearly in the data and in the execution strategies of top-tier firms.
These CEOs are building the next version of normal. The ones moving deliberately through disruption are growing faster, performing stronger, and separating from the rest of the market.
AI, automation, and robotics are driving transformation and returns
The best-performing companies are making aggressive moves in automation, AI, and robotics in order to boost productivity and scale intelligently. According to the 2025 AlixPartners Disruption Index, 87% of growth-focused CEOs are increasing digital investments this year compared to last. These investments are delivering real value. Seventy-three percent are seeing returns of 10% or more from these initiatives.
AI in particular is proving invaluable. It’s augmenting decision-making, automating complex workflows, and enabling faster innovation cycles. Leaders making these moves understand that machine learning accelerates insight. Advanced robotics can handle repetitive strain tasks without downtime. These are advantages that scale across the business, operationally and financially.
The tech itself is progressing fast. According to the report, 72% of CEOs expect humanoid robots to be deployed at scale within the next five years. That’s a shift happening faster than most companies are structurally prepared for. The organizations seeing results are the ones executing with measurable intent.
For C-suite leaders, the lesson is simple: if you’re not already investing in AI and automation systems that directly align with performance outcomes, your timeline is behind. Technology strategy now is business strategy. That means identifying areas where automation drives output, where AI lowers cycle times, and where robotics expands capacity without increasing headcount.
Simon Freakley, Executive Chairman at AlixPartners, put it plainly: “AI is not just about efficiency, it’s a productivity enabler that augments human intelligence to drive growth.”
Reengineering global operations
Global business isn’t operating in a stable environment anymore. Trade tensions, especially between the U.S. and China, are forcing leadership teams to rethink how and where they grow. Top-performing CEOs are overhauling expansion strategies and redesigning supply networks to stay ahead of disruption, not behind it. According to the 2025 AlixPartners Disruption Index, 79% of CEOs have adjusted their global growth plans, and 73% have restructured their manufacturing or supplier configurations in response to geopolitical instability.
This is a shift from optimization to resilience. Executives are building flexibility into their operations by diversifying manufacturing footprints, shortening supply chains, and strengthening local capacity. These actions aren’t only about avoiding risk, they’re about building durable paths to growth in a fragmented global system.
Advanced technologies are a key part of this shift. More than 80% of CEOs believe AI and machine learning will directly improve supply chain operations, especially as material costs and logistics volatility increase. Predictive systems are being used to identify systemic weaknesses early, allowing organizations to course-correct before delays or cost spikes hit the bottom line. Leaders are now aligning their operations and procurement models with smarter, faster, and more adaptive technology platforms.
Forward-looking companies aren’t waiting for the geopolitical climate to normalize. They’re positioning themselves to operate under sustained instability, with tools in place to detect disruptions before they scale. This is about aligning strategic operations with the real conditions of today’s global economy, not what it used to be.
The companies that adapt fastest are already outperforming. The ones that hesitate are taking on more risk than they probably realize. The data’s clear: resilience is an active decision, not a wait-and-see tactic.
Social and environmental initiatives are key contributors to reputation and financial performance
Growth-focused CEOs aren’t treating ESG (environmental, social, and governance initiatives) as optional. They’re integrating DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) and sustainability into the core of how their companies operate and compete. According to the 2025 AlixPartners Disruption Index, 73% of surveyed executives reported that socially driven initiatives positively impact economic performance. Among high-performing leaders, 94% view DEI as a competitive advantage.
Companies are measuring tangible outcomes and generating real financial return. Three out of four respondents reported clear ROI from environmental sustainability efforts. That means emission reduction, energy efficiency, or supplier sourcing choices are translating into cost savings, market access, and brand value.
Top executives see that ESG is now directly tied to stakeholder trust, regulatory alignment, and employee engagement. Companies that lead here tend to attract better talent, build stronger partnerships, and earn more customer loyalty. Sustainability isn’t a cost center, it’s a business lever when executed with clarity and accountability.
For leadership teams, the bottom line is this: ESG strategy must be measurable, tied to business performance, and supported at the board level. It’s about using social and environmental responsibility to create operational advantages that scale. When embedded across product, talent, and risk strategies, ESG becomes a multiplier for growth.
Simon Freakley, Executive Chairman of AlixPartners, framed it clearly: “Companies that align their strategies with social and environmental priorities are improving their reputations and they’re building more resilient businesses.” Resilience and growth are no longer separate goals. Leading executives already know that, and they’re allocating resources accordingly.
Prioritizing agility over certainty is the hallmark of successful leadership
Uncertainty isn’t going anywhere. The leaders pulling ahead today need to be building organizations that can move fast and adapt on demand. That mindset shift defines the difference between companies reacting to volatility and those using it to grow. According to the 2025 AlixPartners Disruption Index, while 46% of U.S.-based CEOs reported feeling more anxious than the previous year, the highest-performing executives were channeling that pressure into fast and focused execution.
These leaders are acting with discipline. Workforce upskilling, accelerated digital initiatives, and real-time business model adjustments are the top priorities. Flexibility and speed are built into how they operate, not as backup plans, but as default settings. That allows their companies to shift gears quickly without losing momentum.
The contrast with slower-moving counterparts is clear. Companies that maintain rigid plans and overweigh long-term forecasting miss openings. They also get hit harder when conditions shift. That’s why acceleration, of decision-making, of tech deployment, of organizational learning, is now a core capability. The leaders most equipped to thrive today are the ones who can launch, iterate, and respond at speed.
For C-suite teams, this means focusing less on precision planning and more on scalable execution. It means empowering teams to act decisively. It means investing in systems that support adaptability, from data infrastructure to leadership development. Agile execution isn’t just operational, it’s strategic.
Simon Freakley, Executive Chairman of AlixPartners, said it directly: “The best CEOs are deliberately getting ahead of disruption, transforming it into a lever for growth. In this environment, playing defense simply isn’t enough.” That’s the challenge, and the edge. The companies with the courage to make fast, forward bets are the ones shaping the future pace of business.
Key takeaways for decision-makers
- Use disruption to drive growth: Top CEOs are making bold, offensive moves—91% plan acquisitions and 65% are reshaping their business models—turning uncertainty into competitive advantage rather than waiting for clarity.
- Tie tech investments to outcomes: Leaders should prioritize targeted AI, robotics, and automation initiatives that deliver measurable ROI—73% of top firms already report returns exceeding 10% from such investments.
- Restructure global operations for resilience: With 79% of CEOs adjusting global strategies and 73% reconfiguring supply chains, decision-makers must act now to build flexible, tech-enabled operations that can adapt to geopolitical volatility.
- Treat ESG as a performance lever: Growth leaders are embedding DEI and sustainability into operating strategies—94% cite DEI as a competitive edge and 75% report ROI from environmental actions—signaling direct business value in social accountability.
- Default to speed and agility: In response to rising uncertainty, leading CEOs prioritize adaptive execution over perfect strategy—accelerating upskilling, digital transformation, and model flexibility to stay in front of rapid change.
