Businesses have been told the need for resilience has never been greater in a time of a perfect storm of geopolitical and economic risks.

The call came from Paul Bantick, Chief Underwriting Officer at Beazley as the insurer launched its latest Spotlight on Geopolitical and Economic Risk 2026 report, based on a survey of 3,500 global business leaders, which highlighted how businesses are having to adapt to a world where disruption is a permanent feature as political uncertainty, trade tensions and competition for critical resources are limiting growth opportunities and curtailing profitability.

He explained: “As geopolitical tension, economic uncertainty and strategic competition transform global markets, businesses must strengthen adaptability, visibility and resilience to manage disruption, protect growth and remain competitive.

“The era of predictable globalisation is giving way to a more fragmented world where politics, security priorities and economic policy increasingly influence access to supply chains, technology, data, capital and critical infrastructure. In this environment, the organisations that can adapt fastest will be best positioned to succeed.”

The report said the growing concerns for  businesses include:

• 77% expect to change suppliers or supply chains in response to ongoing geopolitical disruption.
• 41% rank economic slowdown, inflation, recession and sovereign debt among their top three risks, up from 34% in January 2026.
• 91% agreed that workforce related risks including access and retention of talent, cost of employment and mental health challenges were a concern, up from 76% in January 2026.
• 44% ranked cybersecurity – including systemic and third-party system outage – as a top three risk, up from 38% in January 2026.
• 75% agreed that the diversity and complexity of global regulations is increasing risk for their business.

The findings showed geopolitical and economic uncertainty is increasingly shaping business investment, trade and operational decision-making.  As firms adapt to a world where disruption is no longer an occasional challenge but a permanent feature of doing business, they are prioritising resilience, adaptability and strategic flexibility over efficiency alone.

However, while greater optionality can help preserve continuity and support short-term resilience, efforts to reduce exposure in one area can shift dependencies elsewhere, creating new vulnerabilities and operational challenges.

The report added: “As organisations seek to remain adaptable in an increasingly uncertain operating environment, 35% plan to invest in technology and AI to strengthen resilience, compared with 29% planning to invest in insurance alongside risk and crisis-management services.”

Bantick said hidden dependencies are creating new vulnerabilities and concentration risks.

“Many organisations rely on critical dependencies such as cloud infrastructure, payment networks, satellites, undersea cables and GPS. Disruption to any one of these critical services can trigger cascading operational, financial and supply chain disruption,” he explained. “Conflict, tariffs, trade tensions and competition for strategic resources are rewriting the rules of global business. In our latest Risk & Resilience survey, 90% of executives say geopolitical tension and economic uncertainty are restricting their business growth, while more than four in five say political change is affecting profitable trade.

“As assumptions about markets and stability are tested, resilience, agility and adaptability are becoming critical competitive advantages.”