UK business leaders are entering 2026 with higher levels of confidence than their global counterparts, according to the latest C-Suite Barometer from professional services network Forvis Mazars.
Drawing on responses from more than 500 UK executives, the study found that 96% expect a positive business environment for 2026, a four-point increase on last year, with 90% reported growing revenue. This is the third consecutive year of exceptionally strong sentiment, with UK organisations again outpacing the already high levels of global optimism seen in Forvis Mazar's recent global C-suite barometer.
Economic uncertainty and increased competition remain the most frequently cited constraints on growth but the research pointed to sustained resilience and a continued willingness to invest in tech, international expansion and operational change.
The results come amid persistent macroeconomic headwinds. UK GDP growth is expected to remain modest through 2026, and businesses continue to face higher borrowing costs and wage pressures, even as inflation has eased from its recent peaks. That environment is pushing boards to look for productivity gains and structural efficiencies rather than relying on benign economic conditions.
Confidence shaped by years of disruption
Asam Malik, partner and executive board member at Forvis Mazars, said many leaders are drawing confidence from their experience of navigating recent shocks.
"Our latest C-suite Barometer shows UK leaders entering 2026 with encouraging optimism for growth prospects in the year ahead," Malik said. "Despite economic uncertainty and the pace of global change, businesses have adapted quickly - adjusting pricing, reconfiguring supply chains and reshaping international plans, all while accelerating technology-driven transformation."
AI and technology shift from pilots to implementation
According to the study, technology transformation remains at the heart of UK corporate strategy. Just over half (51%) of UK respondents said transforming company IT and technology is their top strategic priority.
Artificial intelligence is the leading investment focus within these programmes. More than 85% of UK organisations now have technology transformation strategies in place, 11 points higher than the global average and six points up on 2025, indicating that UK businesses are moving from experimentation to full-scale deployment.
That focus is mirrored – and in some cases amplified – within financial services and insurance. A 2024 survey by the Bank of England and the Financial Conduct Authority found that 75% of UK financial firms were already using AI, with a further 10% planning to do so within three years. The insurance sector reported the highest usage, with 95% of firms saying they were already using AI.
More recent industry research pointed in the same direction. One 2024 study found that around 92% of UK insurers are now using AI in some form, with many targeting growth, pricing and underwriting benefits rather than just back-office efficiencies. Another 2025 report concluded that 82% of insurance leaders prioritise AI, but only about one in five insurers have managed to deploy AI solutions at scale, underlining the implementation gap.
For insurance professionals, the barometer’s findings on AI largely reflect what is happening within their own organisations: strong executive backing, growing budgets and organisational restructuring - but also pressure to strengthen data foundations, model governance and talent pipelines.
Across the wider UK corporate landscape, seven in 10 leaders in the Forvis Mazars study say AI is already impacting their business, and almost nine in 10 companies report that they have restructured teams to support adoption. While some roles have been replaced, respondents report that AI is creating more new positions than it displaces, adding to demand for digital and data-driven skillsets.
This is consistent with sector-specific surveys. Accenture’s recent “Pulse of Change” work found that 90% of insurance executives plan to increase AI spending in 2026, with most viewing it primarily as a revenue driver, but a shortage of skilled talent is now one of the biggest barriers to extracting value.
Trade and tariff pressures seen as manageable for now
Despite shifts in global tariff regimes and continued geopolitical tension, UK executives in the Forvis Mazars study reported relatively high confidence in their ability to manage trade-related costs.
More than 90% of UK leaders said they are confident in handling tariff-driven cost challenges, placing them ahead of global peers. The barometer indicated that UK organisations are also more proactive than most in adjusting pricing and operating models in response.
Around 45% have increased prices in response to tariff changes, compared with 36% globally. Many report redesigning supply chains, entering new markets or seeking operational efficiencies to offset higher input costs, rather than simply absorbing those costs in margins.
This resilience has direct implications for commercial portfolios. Clients may be better placed to withstand cost shocks than headline macro data suggests, but they are also changing operating models, supply chains and geographic footprints at speed – developments that alter risk profiles and coverage needs.
International growth plans drive demand for cross-border risk solutions
International expansion continues to feature prominently in UK growth plans. According to the barometer, 60% of organisations are adding extra target countries, suggesting that many management teams still see overseas markets as central to their medium-term strategy, even as the regulatory and political environment becomes more complex.
The findings echoed the global study, which reported that more than four in five businesses worldwide plan to expand to at least one new country in the next five years, and over 40% are targeting three or more markets.
Ensuring compliance with local regulations, tax rules and legislative frameworks remains the biggest reported challenge for UK companies expanding abroad. Tariff-related costs and operational complexity follow closely behind. As a result, many businesses are investing further in digital infrastructure, governance and operational resilience to support cross-border activity.
From an insurance perspective, this translates into continued demand for more sophisticated multinational programmes, closer coordination between local and global policies, and greater scrutiny of how AI-enabled tools are used for cross-border risk management, sanctions screening and regulatory reporting.
Supervisors such as the Prudential Regulation Authority and the Financial Conduct Authority have already flagged their expectations around transparency, fairness and control in AI use in financial services, and boards are increasingly alert to the risk of regulatory or reputational mis-steps.
Implications for insurers, brokers and MGAs
Forvis Mazars’ findings suggest that, while UK leaders are not ignoring macroeconomic or geopolitical risks, they are entering 2026 with a clear bias towards investment, technology-driven change and international diversification – and with a level of optimism that continues to exceed that of their peers in many other markets.
Corporate clients are likely to keep investing and restructuring, rather than sitting on their hands. That is likely to sustain demand for coverages supporting AI adoption, cyber resilience and data governance; for lines linked to international expansion such as D&O, trade credit and political risk; and for advisory-led intermediaries able to keep pace with rapidly evolving business models.
