KPMG survey: German CEOs more optimistic for the first time in years
86% of surveyed heads of large companies in Germany expect growth over the next three years. Artificial intelligence is their top investment priority.
Symbolic image · Photo: Christian Wolf (www.c-w-design.de) / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 de (cropped and resized)
Heads of large companies in Germany are looking ahead with more confidence. According to a survey by audit and advisory firm KPMG, 86% expect growth over the next three years, 14 percentage points more than a year earlier. The share was 80% in 2023 and 77% in 2024. The survey covered 1,400 CEOs of firms with revenue above $500 million in 12 countries, 125 of them in Germany.
Almost 70% of German managers expect profits to grow by at least 2.5% over three years, up from 42% in 2025. 78% each are optimistic about their industry and about Germany as a business location. "The economic outlook for Germany has recently brightened," KPMG said.
77% see AI as their top investment priority, and 90% are considering acquisitions. Confidence in the world economy is weaker: 62% expect global growth, down from 64% a year earlier. The biggest risks named are regulation (30%), geopolitical instability (29%) and a weak global economy (27%).