Generation1.ca Founder and CEO Arundati Dandapani was invited to the ESOMAR CEO Forum Dinner in Athens, Greece, to share learnings and discuss experiences with fellow CEO delegates led by Kristin Luck, Esomar Council Member, ex officio Esomar, Managing Partner Scale House and Founder and CEO, Growgetter. The dinner was an opportunity to discuss the latest findings of the ESOMAR Voice of CEOs study conducted by Leger Marketing that revealed some of the top priorities and goals for business, industry and market leaders in the coming year. Among top 5 concerns for CEOs according to the survey of 400+ global CEOs were revenue growth at the top (61%), followed by retaining and recruiting talent (35%), client budget constraints (35%), implementing AI (31%) to economic uncertainty (29%) which had moved from the 2nd place in 2023 to 5th place in 2024.
Organizations using AI see over 2% more revenue growth than those that don’t use AI, with most use of AI focused on data analysis (71%), operational efficiencies (59%), reporting and insights (53%), automation (50%). Across the board, adoption of AI has seen an 18% jump year over year, with most research firms leveraging existing technologies (71%), building internally (43%) or partnering with AI firms (42%).
We asked Congress Platinum Sponsor GetWhy’s Founder, ex-CEO and current CXO Jonas Alexandersson for his views on how CEOs should be as the creator of a data analytics and insights company that leads with substantial AI investments across the industry:
“Empathy is the key enabler for today’s and tomorrow’s CEOs. Empathy for both the target market—the customers—and the employees is what drives growth. These two pillars, the audience and the employees, form the living foundation upon which any company is built. Everything else—like technology, product, strategy, systems, and processes—must evolve and adapt to serve the audience’s constantly changing needs, or the company will slowly fade away. The future is human.” – Jonas Alexandersson, Founder & CXO, GetWhy
Complementing these insights from ESOMAR’s Global CEOs’ survey are important implications on top skills needed in the workplace from Generation1.ca’s Global Industry Skills Study, and the latest IAPP-EY Digital Governance Report, where Privacy and AI Governance concerns remain at the top of any C-suite boardroom agenda that need to be navigated skillfully and strategically. Founder Arundati referenced some of these findings in her various speaking sessions at Congress as well.
How should CEOs today and their teams prepare for top skills of the future to ensure their talent stack is in order? Talent recommendations for CEOs and their teams from Generation1.ca’s own Global Industry Skills Study include:
- Passion and engagement: Employees who are passionate are more productive and creative. CEOs should therefore build a workplace that encourages enthusiasm to boost overall performance.
- Numeracy and data skills: Data analysis is key for good decision making. CEOs need teams with strong data skills and great appreciation for analytics to stay ahead.
- Qualitative research: Understanding human behavior beyond numbers is crucial. CEOs should ensure teams use both data and real insights to connect better with customers.
- Sales and communication: Strong verbal and non – verbal communication drives business growth. CEOs should prioritize hiring people who can sell the company’s value and build strong partnerships.
- Digital skills: In the Digital era, digital and tech skills provide a competitive edge for companies with relevant technology. CEOs must now focus on hiring leaders in AI and data governance strategy to stay competitive.
You can learn about Generation1.ca’s Global Industry Skills Study’s 2024 results here, as presented at (access the presentation here) Humber Polytechnic FLAS 2024 Annual Symposium on June 3rd. Contact arundati@generation1.ca for any questions.
Seated from L to R of global CEOs – David Ross (1BigThink, USA), Pravin Shekar (KREA, India), Jonas Alexandersson (GetWhy, Denmark), Arundati Dandapani (Generation1.ca, Canada North America), Rohit Kumar (InnResearch Market Solution, India), Navin Menon (MobileMeasure Consultancy, China), Naomi Gooblar (FieldSauce, UK)
