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According to BDO’s Global Risk Landscape 2026 report, organisations that continue to take a wait-and-see approach risk falling behind competitors that are prepared to make informed, calculated decisions. Surveying 500 senior executives worldwide, the report highlights a clear shift: risk management must move beyond specialist teams and become a shared responsibility across the organisation. 

Uncertainty has become the new normal

Business leaders increasingly believe the global risk landscape is defined by crisis. Eight in ten executives say organisations are operating in an environment shaped by disruption, while 68% report that crises are impacting their businesses faster than in previous years. 

At the same time, companies are recognising that excessive caution can be a risk in itself. The report shows a growing number of organisations are willing to take calculated risks when necessary, reflecting the reality that standing still can mean losing market share, growth opportunities, or long-term viability.

Geopolitics is now the ultimate risk multiplier

Among all risk categories, geopolitics stands out as the force influencing nearly every other threat. Rather than existing as a standalone concern, geopolitical developments increasingly drive supply chain disruption, regulatory shifts, cyber threats and operational uncertainty. 40% of business leaders rank geopolitics among the top risks they feel unprepared for. 

A key challenge is that different business functions often see different aspects of the problem. CEOs worry most about supply chain fragmentation, technology leaders focus on regulatory divergence, and CFOs are concerned about cyber-enabled geopolitical threats. This highlights the need for risk decisions to be informed by multiple perspectives rather than a single function. 

Cyber risk remains the biggest concern

Cybersecurity has returned as the number one risk organisations feel unprepared for, with 40% of leaders citing it as a major concern, up significantly from the previous year. Despite growing investment in cyber defences, attack volumes continue to increase, fuelled by rapid technological change including AI-powered threats. 

One of the report’s key findings is that cybersecurity teams are often involved too late in transformation projects. Only 10% are engaged during the ideation stage, limiting their ability to build-in security from the outset. The report argues that cyber resilience must become a business-wide responsibility rather than solely the concern of IT. 

AI opportunity brings new governance challenges

Business confidence in AI is growing rapidly. More organisations now view AI as an opportunity than a risk, with businesses expecting significant benefits in operational efficiency, supply chain management and productivity. 

However, AI is also exposing weaknesses in governance, data quality and compliance processes. The top concerns cited by executives include data privacy, compliance challenges, cybersecurity risks and integration issues. Rather than solving organisational weaknesses, AI often amplifies them, making cross-functional governance essential as adoption scales. 

From reactive risk management to strategic advantage

The message is simple: risk management can no longer be confined to specialist teams. As risks become more interconnected, organisations need shared ownership, stronger collaboration and a clear understanding of their risk appetite. 

Businesses most likely to succeed in 2026 and beyond will be those that treat risk not as an obstacle to growth, but as a strategic capability. By embedding risk awareness across operations and leadership functions, organisations can make faster, more confident decisions and turn uncertainty into a competitive advantage.