Saudi Arabia
Explore data
As their nation’s global influence grows, Saudi business leaders express particularly decisive views about the economic and geopolitical transitions shaping 2025.
Geopolitically, Saudi respondents expressed the most concrete perspectives among global business leaders about the fragmenting international landscape. An overwhelming 91% believe regional trade blocs will supersede globalization, while 89% anticipate the emergence of competing financial systems between allied blocs—a view that likely stems from Saudi Arabia’s strategic position at the intersection of emerging coalitions.
On the business front, Saudi leaders are rapidly and proactively positioning for this new reality, with a strong focus on AI adoption and operational resilience. Reflecting this shift away from traditional economic hierarchies, 71% anticipate a slowdown in the ‘brain drain’ to traditional economic powers, suggesting preparation for a more regionalized economic future is ongoing.
This transformation of established patterns extends to their sector-specific outlooks. Among all Saudi respondents, “shifts in the energy market” was cited as the top expected driver of innovation in 2025. This optimism around energy stands in contrast to their outlook on fintech, where Saudi executives expressed the highest level of concern among global respondents about both the adoption of decentralized finance markets and fintech solutions.
These clear-eyed perspectives on both geopolitical and business trends reveal Saudi leaders’ strategic preparation for a fundamentally transformed global economy in 2025.
51%
Which regions present the strongest new business opportunities for your organization in 2025?
46%
Thinking about the following potential shifts in the international business landscape, which five do you think will have the most significant impact on fostering innovation and growth?
43%
Thinking about the same list of potential shifts in the international business landscape, which five are you most concerned about?
GEOPOLITICAL LANDSCAPE
Governments are increasingly becoming more protectionist in their business policy (i.e. cross-border data sharing, onshoring of chip manufacturing). Do you agree or disagree with this statement?
46% of Saudi respondents cited energy market shifts as having the most significant impact on fostering innovation and growth - the highest rate of respondents across all countries surveyed.
BUSINESS LANDSCAPE
Which of the following actions is your organization planning to take or continue in 2025 - specifically with a focus on the transformation of the labor market stemming from AI?
AI will collapse traditional career paths and make long-term workforce planning impossible for business leaders. Do you agree or disagree with this statement?
Supply chain resilience will take priority over cost optimization. Do you agree or disagree with this statement?
Which of the following operational changes is your organization planning to make in 2025?
Too often VC only scratches the surface. Continually consuming until there’s a basic understanding of everything, and expertise in nothing. Lightspeed takes a different approach.
