Market Report
Strategic Planning
23.3%
Leadership
21.1%
AI
18.9%
Data
16.4%
Digital/Social
11.6%
Technical Skills
8.7%
In terms of trends for 2025, crisis preparedness (3.48) and digital transformation
(3.41) are seen as the most important, indicating a proactive focus on resilience
and modernisation. While AI/automation (3.4) is gaining traction, mixed
confidence levels suggest it is still in the exploratory phase for many
organisations. ESG communications (3.05) and stakeholder capitalism (3.07) are
moderately prioritised, reflecting their ongoing integration into corporate
strategies, while employee activism (2.81) is viewed as less urgent.
AI/Automation
ESG Communications
Crisis Preparedness
Digital Transformation
Stakeholder Capitalism
Employee Activism
0.00
0.50
1.00
1.50
2.00
2.50
3.00
3.50
Weighted importance of each trend below (1=Least Important, 5=Most Important)
Comms Search & Selection
09
The survey also highlights a clear focus
on strategic planning and leadership (as
top priorities reflecting the continued
importance of core skills emerging areas
such as AI and data analytics also feature
prominently, signalling the growing need
for technological proficiency and data-
driven decision-making at the senior
level.
Skill development priorities