The Pulse Report - ANZ 2026
Strategy in a Year of Tight Optimism
The Pulse Report is a twice-yearly snapshot of what leaders across our community are seeing and deciding for the year ahead.
This edition draws on the views of 798 senior decision makers across Australia and New Zealand. It blends survey data with on the ground insight to show how leaders are thinking about growth, cost, competition, technology, and their own stamina as they move into 2026.
- 54% expect their domestic economy to improve this year
- 43% name growth & expansion as their top priority
- 23% prioritise cost, 21% innovation & digital
- 24% see inflation & cost as the biggest risk; 21% cite demand slowdown
- 49% face their sharpest competition at home; 12% from overseas rivals
- 68% say the mental demands of leadership are higher than two years ago
