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Economic Downturns and Tech Challenges Top Concerns for Australian Executives

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Australian business leaders are increasingly worried about the potential for an economic downturn, which they have identified as the most significant threat facing the country in the next couple of years.

This insight comes from a wide-reaching survey conducted by the World Economic Forum, highlighting key concerns in the business sector.

The survey also ranks disruption to a critical supply chain as the second most concerning risk, followed by threats to crucial infrastructure. Emerging frontier technologies, such as quantum computing, and a decline in health and well-being also feature prominently as areas of concern. These findings were derived from responses gathered from over 11,000 executives across 116 economies, in partnership with Zurich and Marsh McLennan.

In the context of G20 economies, an economic downturn emerged as the leading risk. Other major concerns include inadequate public services and social protections, lack of economic opportunity or unemployment, inflation, and the spread of misinformation and disinformation. The survey underscores a prevailing concern over economic stability, coupled with technological and infrastructural vulnerabilities.

David Wainwright, Zurich Australia’s chief risk officer, highlighted the cross-border nature of these risks, pointing out the universal concerns surrounding economic downturns. He also noted the increased attention towards technological and health-related risks, marking a departure from prior concerns, such as climate change and environmental issues.

Zurich Group's chief risk officer, Peter Giger, commented on the rapid advancements in technology that are dramatically altering the risk landscape. He emphasised the emerging significance of misinformation, particularly as it ranks among the top five concerns in G20 countries. Notably, for the first time, Australian business leaders have identified negative outcomes from cutting-edge technologies as one of their top risks.

Giger further remarked on the overall strain on social infrastructure and the challenge posed by rapid AI innovation, which is currently outpacing regulatory frameworks. He warned of the precarious position many countries find themselves in, where the political and economic environments leave little room for error.

Published:Tuesday, 9th Dec 2025
Source: Paige Estritori

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