CEO Today Magazine - September 2021

Debbie Bowen-Heaton Partner at Business Growth Consultancy Oliver Wight EAME In May 2021, the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Report stated that how UK businesses respond to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic will define the future economy. While the inference here is that businesses have been ill-prepared and, in some instances, decimated by the economic fallout, it does not tell the whole story. Of course, it’s clear to see there have been losers and winners as well as businesses somewhere in between, but the exact impacts and rates of recovery and change vary according to industry. Not every business has managed to fulfil the demands of customers. Some were caught by surprise and failed to scale in time. Others struggled with supply chains and logistics. Many businesses toiled with reactive strategies enabling them to tread water at best. Now organisations face a new challenge; they must determine how to capitalise on the opportunities of changing markets. Businesses are typically used to managing one disruptive influence at a time, but they now need to deal with rapid externally driven changes with little or no time to prepare before the next disruptor hits. So, how can organisations better prepare for black swan events or just about any other obstacle thrown in their path? Debbie Bowen-Heaton, Partner at Business Growth Consultancy OliverWight EAME identifies three key strategies to reset business processes and drive future growth. 61 The Art of Creating a Proactive, Aligned Strategy Fit for Future Growth VISION & STRATEGY www.ceotodaymagazine.com