德勤 -2026年全球首席战略官（CSO）报告 2026 Global Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) Survey report

2026GlobalChiefStrategyOfficer(CSO)Surveyreport

February2026

Executivesummary:TheCSOmandateinaneraofpersistentdisruption

Theroleofamodernchiefstrategy

officer(CSO)istoimposeclaritywhile

disruptionconstantlyworkstoerodeit.

Macroeconomicvolatility,shiftingcustomerexpectations,andfast-movingcompetitorscanreorderprioritiesovernight.Winning

CSOsdonotrespondbyproducingmoreplans.Theyrespondbycreatingfocus:

sensingwhatmattersearly,forcingthe

righttrade-offs,andtranslatinginsightintocoordinatedactionacrosstheenterprise.

ThemodernCSOroleisstillrelativelynew

inmanyenterprises,yetitisunquestionablytimeforittoevolve.Planningcyclesare

compressing.AIadoptionisaccelerating.

Expectationsofstrategyleaderscontinuetoexpand,oftenfasterthanthemechanismsrequiredtodeliverthem.Thenextgenerationofstrategyleadershipwilllikelybedefinedlessbyelegantframeworksandmorebytheabilitytomakefewer,sharpercallsandturnthemintoenterprisemovement.

Deloitte’s2026GlobalChiefStrategy

OfficerSurveycapturesthetensionattheheartofthismoment.CSOsareincreasinglyconfidentabouttheirownenterprises,evenasconfidenceintheexternalenvironmentremainslimited:72%reportoptimism

abouttheirorganization’sprospects,whileonly24%areoptimisticabouttheglobaleconomy.Thatgapinsentimentcreatesacleartest.IfCSOsbelievetheirenterprisescanwindespiteexternalheadwinds,

thisisaperiodofexecutionandproof,notexplanation.

Threeinsightscanhelpdefinewhatitwilltaketoleadstrategyinthenextera:

1.Fromuncertaintytoenterprise

conviction.CSOsarebettingon

theirabilitytodeliverinadifficult

environment.Theopportunitylies

inconvertinginternalconfidenceintodurableadvantagethroughdisciplinedinvestment,modernization,and

capitalefficiency.

2.Thestrategygapisreal,anditis

operational.FormanyCSOs,the

limitingfactorisnotinsight;itiscapacityandcoherence.Morethanhalfreport

managingtoomanyprioritieswithtoo

littletime.Withoutsharperprioritization,cleareroperatingmodels,andbetter

alignmentbetweenmandateand

decisionrights,thestrategyfunctionrisksremainingperipheraltodecidingwhatmattersmost.

3.AIiscorporatestrategy.Many

strategyleadersareusingAIto

acceleratetheworkofstrategy,but

farfewerarehelpingleadenterpriseAIdecisionsthatwillreshapethebusiness.Only28%ofCSOscurrentlyco-lead

enterpriseAI-relateddecision-making,while39%oforganizationsremainin

pilotorearlyexecutionstages.Just

16%reportusingAItofundamentally

reimaginelinesofbusinessorcreate

newsourcesofcompetitiveadvantage.CSOswhotreatAIasanimplementationagenda,ratherthanacorestrategic

agenda,arenotjustmissingaseatat

thetable.Theyaremissingthestrategy.

Thehighest-performingCSOsgoing

forwardwilllikelybeleaderswhomake

strategyacontinuousenterprisediscipline,notaperiodicexercise.Itcanstartwith

threemoves:makefewer,sharperstrategicchoices,revisitedmoreoften;closethe

strategygapbyaligningmandatewith

decisionrightsandcapacity;andelevate

AIfromaproductivitylevertoanenterprisestrategyagendathatshapeswhereand

howthebusinesswillcompete.

2

1.

Fortune/Deloitte’sCEOSurvey

Fall2025.3

Fromuncertaintytoconviction:Designingforpersistentvolatility

Whatforcesarereshapingorganization’sprioritiesforthenextyear?HowareCSOstranslatingthesepressuresintostrategicpriorities?

Competitivedynamics

AIandtechnologydisruptionMacro

volatility Customeranddemanduncertainty Geopoliticaland regulatoryshiftsTalentandworkforce

transformation Supplychainand operationalresilience Climateandsustainabilitypressures

95%

95%

91%

86%

86%

86%

72%

41%

Reshaping growthfocus Protectingand expandingmarginInvestinginAItodrive

enterprisevalueEnhancing

customerexperience Expandingstrategicpartnershipsandecosystems Modernizingtechnologycapabilities(exceptAI)

Improvingworkforce andtalentmodels Reviewingriskand resilienceprioritiesStrengtheningsupplychainresilience

48%

41%

39%

31%

31%

16%

9%

8%

59%

CSOswereaskedtostatethedegreetowhichtheyexpecteachitemwillimpacttheirorganization’sprioritiesforthenext12months.Percentagescombineresponsesforitemsrankedmodest/great/verygreatextent.

CSOswereaskedtostatewhichstrategicprioritiestheirorganizationwillfocusonoverthenext12months,giventoday’sexternalpressures.Questionallowsmultipleoptions,sopercentagesdonotaddupto100%.

Afteryearsofsustaineddisruption,CSOsarenolongertreatinguncertaintyasa

temporaryshocktomanagebutasa

persistentconditiontodesignfor.That

meansactivelytrackingtheforcesreshapingpriorities,refreshingdirectioninshorter

cycles,andtranslatinginsightintochoicestheenterprisecanexecute.

Thesignalisclearinthisyear’ssurvey:

95%ofCSOsexpectintensifiedcompetitivedynamicsandAIandtechnologydisruptiontomateriallyshapetheirorganization’s

prioritiesoverthenextyear,alongside

macrovolatilityanduncertaincustomer

demand.Thesepressuresarenotdistant

signals.Theyaredirectcatalyststhatchangehowleadersprioritizegrowth,investment,andtransformation.

24%

72%

ofCSOsareoptimisticabouttheglobal

economy,doublelastyear’slevel.

ofCSOsareoptimisticabouttheirorganizationinthenext12months.

Whatismoststrikingisthedualityof

sentiment.Only24%ofCSOsareoptimisticabouttheglobaleconomy.Whilethatis

morethandoublelastyear’slevel,itremainslowoverall.Atthesametime,72%are

optimisticabouttheirownorganization’sfuture.Deloitte’sCEOsurveyshoweda

similarpattern:renewedconfidencein

enterpriseprospectspairedwithcontinuedcautionaboutthebroaderenvironment.1Theimplicationisstraightforward.Whenleadersbelievetheirorganizationscanwindespiteexternalheadwinds,theburdenshiftsfromdiagnosistodelivery.

ThatshiftshowsupinwhereCSOsare

placingtheirbets.Reshapinggrowthisthetopstrategicpriority,butprotectingand

expandingmarginisclosebehind.Inotherwords,growthremainstheheadline,whilemargindisciplineistheoperatingprinciple.Thisisnotagrowth-at-any-costagenda.Itisaprofitability-ledgrowthagenda.Capitalisbeingreallocatedtowardmodernization,productivity,andtransformationinitiativesthatcanscale,whilecostcontrolandcapital

efficiencybecomecoreenablersofgrowthratherthanconstraints.

About9in10reported

reinventionisessentialforcompetitiveness,and4in10saytheneedisurgent.

Thisgrowingconfidencemarksan

inflectionpoint,anditcomeswith

urgency.AlmostnineintenCSOs

sayreinventionisessentialtoremain

competitive,andfourintensaythe

needisimmediate.Thewinnerswill

likelybethosewhotreatreinvention

asarepeatablecapabilityandwho

turnvolatilityintoanadvantagethroughsharperprioritizationandfasterfollow-through.Confidenceisrising,andit

willlikelybesustainedonlyifstrategybecomesadisciplinewithatighter

cadence,clearerownership,andfasterconversionfrominsighttoexecution.

Thestrategygap:High

expectations,limitedcapacity

CSOsarecentraltowhatgetsdone

buttoooftenareperipheraltodecidingwhatmattersmost.Manyfacetoo

muchtodoandtoolittlecapacitytodoitwith.Thatparadoxistheheartofthestrategygap.Organizationsarerelyingonstrategyleaderstodrive

faster,sharperexecutionacrossawideningsetofenterprisepriorities,yetmanyCSOslackthedecision

rights,capacity,andoperational

scaffoldingtosteerthoseprioritiesendtoend.

Thepressuresaretangible.More

thanhalfofCSOsreportmanaging

toomanyprioritieswithtoolittle

time,oftenstretchedacrossmultiple

strategicinitiativessimultaneously.

Capacityistighteningaswell.About

halfofCSOsreporthavingfiveor

fewerdirectreports,anumberthat

hasedgedupfromlastyear.Inpractice,leanteamscanpushCSOsintoacycleofrelyingonrotating,project-based

supporttogetcriticalworkdone.

Managingthatparadeofinitiatives

andsupportteamscanfurthererodethetimerequiredforthethinkingandchoicesthatonlystrategycanown.

MorethanhalfofCSOscitetoomanypriorities;abouthalfhavefiveor

fewerdirectreports

Atthesametime,expectations

continuetoexpand.Almosttwo-thirdsofCSOsnowleadcross-functional

transformationefforts,andmorethanhalfdriveenterprise-wideagendasthatextendwellbeyondtraditionaladvisoryroles.Ina

timewhenCSOsareincreasingly

evaluatedonoutcomesandhands-ondelivery,theyoftendonothavetheformalauthority,decisionrights,orresourcingthattypicallycomeswithoperationalleadership.

Nowhereisthegapmorevisiblethaninstrategicdecision-makingforthe

organization’stoppriorities.Only35%ofCSOssaytheyco-leadorownthatdecision-making.

35%

ofCSOscurrentlyco-leadorown

strategicdecision-makingforthesetoppriorities

TheimplicationisnotthatCSOslack

insight.Itisthattheirinfluenceisbeing

applieddownstream,aftercritical

choicesarealreadyset.Asaresult,

CSOsreportspendingtheleasttime

onsensingmarketshifts,interpreting

competitivedynamics,anddrivingdeals,partnerships,andecosystemalliances,theveryactivitiesthatdifferentiate

strategyfromexecution.

Closingthisgapisnotamatterofdoingmoreorsimplyaddingmoreexternalcapacity.Itmeansdoinglessexecutionbydefaultandprotectingtimeforthe

thinkingandchoicesthatonlystrategycanown.Thetakeawayisnottoadd

activity,buttoinstitutionalizestrategyasadisciplineandturnchoicesinto

enterprisemovement.Inpractice,thatmeanssharpeningenterprisepriorities,aligningtheCSOmandatewithdecisionrightsinsteadofrelyingoninformal

influence,andbuildingthemechanismsthatturnstrategyintocoordinated

action.Withoutthoseshifts,enterpriseambitionwilllikelykeepoutrunning

strategiccapacity.

ThefacesoftheCSOframeworkhelpsexplainwhythestrategygappersists.

WhileCSOsareexpectedtooperate

acrosssixdistinctroles,surveyfindingsshowtheirtimeisdisproportionately

consumedbyexecution-heavydemands,includingrunningprocessesand

managingspecialprojects.CSOsreportwishingtheycouldspendlesstimeontheseactivitiesandmoretimesensingmarketshifts,interpretingcompetitivedynamics,andshapingenterprise

choices.Theresultisaparadox:

CSOsarecentraltowhatgetsdone,buttoooftenperipheraltodecidingwhatmattersmost.

Deloitte,

TheMakingofaSuccessful

ChiefStrategyOfficer

,2019.

AverageCSOtimeallocationacrosssixfacesin2026

Average

28%

Adviser:Helpingshapethecorporatestrategy

Sentinel:Sensingand

interpretingmarketshifts

Aidedecamp:TheCEO’sunofficialchiefofstaff

Banker:Drivingdealsandpartnerships

13%

12%

12%

Specialprojects:Tackling

miscellaneoushigh-impactinitiatives

Engineer:Designingandrunningthestrategicplanningprocess

18%

17%

4

5

AIasstrategy:

Beyondthetoolkit

AIisnotatechnologysideagendathat

canbemanagedbyCIOsinisolation.Itis

reshapinghowcompaniescompete,allocatecapital,andmakedecisionsatspeed.ThatmakesAIacorporatestrategyissue.The

questionforCSOsiswhethertheywill

stepintothecenterofenterprisedecision-makingtoshapeAI’sstrategicimpactor

treatAIprimarilyasatoolkittospeeduptoday’swork.

Thesurveysuggestsmanyorganizations

remainonthewrongsideofthis,still

treatingAIasadjacenttostrategyrather

thanembeddedwithinit.Only28%ofCSOscurrentlyco-leadenterpriseAI-related

decision-making.

28%

ofCSOscurrentlyco-leadenterpriseAI-related

decision-making

Whilestrategyleadersstayonthesidelines,39%oforganizationsremaininpilotor

earlyexecutionstages,andjust16%reportusingAItofundamentallyreimaginelines

ofbusinessorcreatenewsourcesof

competitiveadvantage.Thepatternisnotinactivity,itisfragmentation.AIismovingfasterthanthestrategicframeworks,

investmentprocesses,andgovernancemodelsneededtoabsorbit.

ThegoodnewsisthatmanyCSOsare

makingprogressonAIforstrategy.TheyareembeddingAIintoplanning,insight

generation,andperformanceanalysistoincreasespeedandthroughputwithout

proportionallyincreasingheadcount.MostarealsoinvestinginAIliteracy(61%),andmanyalreadyviewAIasastrategicpartnerthatexpandstheirabilitytosurfacesignalsandpressure-testassumptions.

ButstrategyforAIiswherethestakesarehigher,andtheunderperformanceisclear.IfCSOsarenotatthecenterofenterpriseAIdecisions,AIbecomesasetofdisconnectedinitiatives:productivitypilotsinonecorner,modelexperimentationinanother,and

unevenvaluerealizationacrossbusinesslines.Thedataalsosuggestsabiastoward

near-termefficiencygainsoverbolderenterprisereinvention.

TheopportunityisnottowriteabetterAIstrategyinisolation.ItistomakeenterprisestrategyfullyaccountforAI.Thatmeans

integratingAIimplicationsintoannualandmulti-yearplanning,capitalallocationandportfolioreviews,operatingmodelchoices,andtalentstrategy.Butitcannotliveonlyinformalplanningmoments.

Itneedsanalways-oncadenceofgovernanceandportfolioreviewthatkeepsstrategic

choicescurrentastechnologyandthe

businessevolve.Italsomeansmoving

beyondpilotstowardscaledadoptionwithclearownershipandmeasurablevalue.

Overthemonthsandyearsahead,strategyleaderswhotreatAIasaliving,constant

partofcorporatestrategycanhelptheirorganizationsconvertexperimentationintocoordinatedadvantage.

AsAIreshapesstrategyanddecision-making,

howdoyouseetheCSOroleevolving?

51%

36%

7%

5%

1%

EnhancedpartnershipwithAl

Al-providedtargetedsupport

Roletransformation

Minimalimpactonrole

Fulldisplacementofrole

Whatisyourorganization’sprimaryambitionforAI?

34%

22%

22%

16%

7%

Operational

efficiency Targeted enabler Enterprise-wide capabilityTransformationaldriver

Notyetarticulated

Thenextmove:Strategic

choicesthatdefinetheCSOrole

CSOconfidenceisrising,butsoare

expectationsandspeed.Volatilityis

persistent,capacityisconstrained,andAIisreshapingthefundamentalsofcompetition.AcrossallthreecorefindingsfromtheCSOsurvey,onethreadisconsistent:Strategyshouldbeanalways-ondiscipline,nota

periodicplanningexercise.

Thatshiftisnotaboutdoingstrategymoreoftenforitsownsake.Itisaboutmakingrealchoicesandstandingbehindthem.Strategyonlyearnsitsnamewhenitforcesdecisionsaboutwhattheenterprisewilldoandwhatitwillnotdo.Thewindowisnarrow,but

theprescriptionisnotpanic.Itiscadence:

fewer,sharperchoicesthatarerevisitedmoreoften,withclearownershipandfastconversionfrominsighttoaction.

Fourstrategicchoicesflowdirectlyfrom

whatthesurveysurfacesacrossconfidence,capacity,andAI;eachreflectinghowCSOsallocateresources,runthesystem,claim

authority,andshapeenterprisebets.Thesearenotcheck-the-boxbestpractices.Eachforcesarealchoice,andeachchoicecreatesatensionthatneedstobemanaged.The

rightanswerwillvarybyorganization.Whatshouldnotvaryistheneedtomakethe

choicedeliberately.

1.Reallocateforreinvention,notincrementalresilience.Margindisciplineandcapitalefficiencyarenotaretreatfromgrowth;theyareameanstoachieveit.They

arethefundingmodelforit.CSOs

shoulddecidewhattoprotect,what

todeprioritize,andwherecapitaland

talentaredeliberatelyreallocatedtofuelreinvention.Thetensionisreal:protectperformancetodaywhileinvestingin

thecapabilitiesthatwillwintomorrow.

2.Designthesystemthatgetstheworkdone,insteadofmanagingmoreof

thework.Whenprioritiessprawlandteamsarelean,theanswerisnota

largerportfolioofprojectsorabiggerparadeofexternalsupport.CSOs

shouldsharpenenterprisepriorities,clarifydecisionrights,andbuild

operatingmechanismsthattranslatestrategyintorepeatableexecutionatspeed.Thetensionisbetweenspeedandcoherence:movingfasterwithoutmultiplyingprioritiesandnoise.

3.Formalizeauthoritytosustainthe

discipline.Continuousstrategyrefreshcannotdependonpersonalrelationshipsalone.CSOsshoulddefinewhich

enterprisedecisionstheyown,co-lead,ororchestrate,sostrategicprioritiesdonotdriftasconditionschangeand

strategyremainsanchoredin

governanceandaccountability

ratherthanpersonality.Thetensionismovingfrominformalinfluencetoclearergovernance,evenwhenit

feelsuncomfortable.

4.Shapeenterprisebetsinfast-moving

domains,notjustfunctionalinitiatives.Infast-movingdomains,mostvisibly

AI,thestrategicriskisnotinaction

butfragmentation.CSOscreatevalue

byshapingenterprisebets:setting

direction,sequencinginvestments,andresolvingtrade-offssoexperimentationreinforces,ratherthandilutes,strategicintent.Thisrequiressteppinginto

decisionsthatcutacrossfunctionsandtimehorizons,ensuringthatspeeddoesnotcomeattheexpenseofcoherence.Thetensionispaceversusalignment:

movingfastenoughtolearnwhilemaintainingaclearenterprisepointofview.

CSOswhowanttobedefinedbyclarity

mustclaimtherolethatcreatesit.Makethechoices.Setthecadencethatkeepsthemcurrent.Protecttimefortheworkthatonlystrategycando.Stepintothe

enterprisedecisions,especiallyonAI,thatwilldefinewhatwinninglookslikenext.

6

TheroleoftheCSO2022–2026

ThepastGlobalCSOSurveysshowthat

theCSO’scoremandateofintegrating

strategyacrosstheenterprisehasremainedstable.Whathaschangedisthecontextinwhichthatmandatemustbedelivered.

Volatilityhaspersisted,complexityhas

compounded,andexpectationsforspeedandmeasurableoutcomeshaveintensified,oftenwithoutproportionalincreasesintime,authority,orcapacity.Acrosstheperiod,

CSOshaveconsistentlyoperatedas:

•Enterpriseintegrators:Connectivetissueacrossfunctions,aligning

long-termstrategicprioritieswithnear-termoperationalrealities.

•Stewardsofgrowthandresilience:

Shapinggrowthagendas,navigating

uncertainty,andsupportingleadershipteamsthroughsustaineddisruption.

•Bridgesbetweenstrategyandexecution:Convertingstrategicintentintoactionabledirection,

evenasoperatingconditionsshift.

Whilethesefoundationsendure,therolehasbeenstretchedinthreeimportantways:

•Fromguidancetoorchestration:

Movingfromadvisingonstrategytoactivelycoordinatingenterprise-widetransformation,reinvention,and

cross-functionalchange.

•Risingexecutionexpectations

underconstraint:Increasing

accountabilityfordelivery,coordination,andROIevenasorganizationalcomplexityrisesandteamcapacityremainslimited.

•AIasacorestrategicinputto

reinvention:Shiftingfromaperipheraltechnologytopictoamaterialfactorininsightgeneration,strategicdecision-making,andexecutionvelocity.

Whatwillthenextfiveyearsbring?TheCSOroleisnotbeingreinventedfromscratch;it

isbeingtestedatitslimits.Theroleisbeingaskedtocarrymoreweight,moreoften,undertighterconstraints.Theopportunityliesin

protectingtherole’sstrategiccenterofgravitywhilemeetingexpandingdemands:clarifywhereCSOsowndecisions,wherethey

co-lead,andwheretheyorchestrate;build

mechanismsthatturnstrategyintocoordinatedaction;andreinforcestrategyasacontinuousdisciplineratherthanaperiodicexercise.

Surveymethodology

ThefindingsinthisreportarebasedonoursurveyfieldedfromSeptemberto

November2025with148strategyleadersglobally,whoholdprimaryorsignificantresponsibilityforenterprise-levelstrategy.WhiletitlesvaryfromChiefStrategy

Officer,ExecutiveVicePresidentofStrategy,andGlobalHeadofStrategytoHead

ofCorporateStrategyandSeniorVicePresidentofStrategy,thecommonthreadisownershipofthestrategicagenda.Surveyrespondentsweregeographicallydiverse,withrepresentationacrossNorthAmerica;Europe,MiddleEast,andAfrica;and

othermajorregions.Organizationalfootprintsrangefromglobal,multi-country

enterprisestonational,regional,andlocalorganizations.Industrycoveragespansfinancialservices;consumer;energy,resourcesandindustrials;technology,mediaandtelecom;andotherkeyindustries.Together,thismixprovidesamultidimensionalviewofhowstrategyisevolvingacrossmarketsandbusinessmodels.

Respondentorganizationalscope

5%6%

31%34%

24%

Local

Global

MultinationalNational

Regional

Respondentindustrybreakdown(%)

15

10

LifesciencesTechnology,&healthcaremedia&

telecom

ConsumerEnergy,

resources&industrials

Government&publicservices

Financialservices

34

26

13

1

Respondentgeographicallocation(%)

20%

AsiaPacific

7%

LatinAmerica

28%

NorthAmerica

45%

7

Europe,MiddleEast,andAfrica

Authorsand

acknowledgments

TimSmith

USStrategyLeader

DeloitteConsultingLLP

timsmith6@

GaganChawla

USBusinessStrategyLeaderDeloitteConsultingLLP

gachawla@

AdamGiblin

USCSOProgramLeadDeloitteConsultingLLP

agiblin@

MaryBethNeville

USCSTrOProgramExperienceDirectorDeloitteServicesLLP

mneville@

Thoughtleaders/globaladvisers

PrateepMenon,FranciscoSalazar,AldoFejzulla

ChiefStrategyandTransformationOfficerProgramcollaborators

TanmayAgarwal,AnnaEttinger,Julia(Kenney)Holler,AmolKumar,GayatriNipankar,SourabhSinghal,TanukaRaj

ResearchandInsightsteammembers,CoReteammembers

VaishnaviPandellapalli,JanarthananLnu,SamuelSatishChopde,MarinaDcruz,DavidLevin,SrinivasaraoOguri

Additionalthankstothemarketinganddesignteam,