December 2025 – At first blush, our latest CEO tracker has provided comforting figures for the Starmer Administration, as 68% of CEOs are least ‘moderately confident’ in the future performance of their business. However, a closer look reveals that not all the reasons for this positivity are down to the actions/policies of the Government. If C-suite confidence can be compared to a plant, some leaves appear to be wilting.
One CEO severely lacks faith in a government they see as ‘dangerously small-minded for the scale of the crisis’. To this leader, the (UK) Government doesn’t have the suitable ‘strategy, vision and courage’. Instead they ‘appear naïve, overwhelmed and out of their depth.’
The continued debate around the Budget is unlikely to ameliorate this level of dissatisfaction. Some are pugnacious against the ‘background of uncertainty’. One says – ‘there are big challenges ahead but we have our shoulders to the wheel’. Another CEO says they are ‘moving with caution’.
Of those in the ‘very confident’ bracket, the tone is upbeat. One leader talked about an ‘increased demand for [their] services’ moving into next year; with another ‘exceeding [their] annual plan by 20%’.
You can’t help but sense that this pulse shows that CEO’s ‘va va voom’ comes from decisive action and separation from the Government as one CEO said – ‘Our confidence comes from cutting our costs, slashing recruitment and looking to overseas markets for work.’
They are not a lone voice. Others have also found comfort in this separation: ‘We have moved away from being excessively dependent on the actions of government to determine our own financial resilience and so can feel reasonably positive’ backs this up.
To extend the original metaphor, a proportion of CEOs appear to have ‘repotted’ their businesses, giving them more control over their destiny.
Bottom line? Manage the market environment on your own terms and it will deliver some peace of mind.