As world leaders and industry visionaries convene at Davos 2025, a pivotal question emerges: How do we reimagine growth in an era of uncertainty and opportunity?  

The state of global volatility and uncertainty is summed up in the World Economic Global Risk Report 2025. As it stands, a significant number of respondents (52%) anticipate an unsettled global outlook over the short term (next two years). What’s more, another 31% expect turbulence. This increasing volatility is exposing how ill-equipped some existing structures are to tackle the challenges collectively confronting us. 

In the face of global economic shifts and against a backdrop of a “Tepid Twenties”, one truth stands out: No single entity – whether government, business, or civil society – can tackle today’s challenges alone. Addressing economic vulnerabilities will be key to unlocking the full potential of the digital economy, while collaboration will remain central to building resilience and sustainability. 

When geopolitical and macro-economic factors hit, it is the responsibility of industry titans to galvanise their organisation around a new objective that transcends the day to day rather than retreating into preservation mode. The most savvy business leaders never waste an opportunity, however it may present itself. To reimagine growth, industry visionaries must take the right risks, mitigate the fallout and communicate well. 

However, during economic uncertainty, many normal risk-takers retract and abandon more innovative ways of working as they focus solely on the immediate problem in front of them. But it’s in these moments that ambitious leaders must embrace collaboration to unlock new growth opportunities. Those who work together with partners across their wider network immediately benefit from new resources and a more diverse range of professional experiences and knowledge. In turn, leaders are in a more strategic position to pivot and thrive during periods of instability rather than merely survive. Collaboration will be critical as ambitious leaders look to capitalise on innovative new technologies.  

Digital innovation across areas such as AI, quantum computing and robotics is already driving significant technological shifts that are creating new industry dynamics that leaders must navigate. The boldest leaders – who drive the best results from innovation – will need to equip themselves with a new toolkit to fully evolve and capitalise on these structural changes. Working with governments and civil society, industry leaders can navigate headwinds by taking decisive action to uncover common solutions. 

Criticism is often levelled against Davos for not being action-oriented enough. However, with collaboration still an ongoing debate, Davos has shown how hard it is to fundamentally achieve. This shouldn’t impede organisations, world leaders and civil society from thinking bigger – and, perhaps more importantly, differently – to disrupt the status quo and enact real change to unlock new areas of common growth and economic prosperity.