Insights for What’s Ahead

• CEOs and Chairs of some of Europe’s largest companies are increasingly optimistic about the business and economic outlook for 2021. Overall, the measure of CEO Confidence for Europe increased substantially, from 61 in the second half of 2020 to 77 in the first half of 2021. (A reading above 50 indicates more positive than negative responses.) Sentiment regarding expectations for the economy over the next six months is the main driver behind this improvement, skyrocketing to 81 from 57 in H2 2020.
• The pace of the vaccination campaign in Europe is the number one factor affecting the economic revival. Should companies play a role in accelerating the campaign? Nearly all CEOs and Chairs surveyed agree that they should provide information, but only half of them think they need to go further and provide jabs on-site.
• Forty percent o