Business leaders worldwide face an era of growing risks due to geopolitical divisions, technological challenges, and social tensions that will define the corporate environment. This is one of the main conclusions of the Global Risks Report 2026 by the World Economic Forum, commented on by senior executives from Marsh and Zurich Insurance Group, which act as strategic partners to the Forum's Global Risk Advisory Board. Immediate risks and social fragmentation For 2026, respondents identified five top threats: geoeconomic confrontation, interstate armed conflicts, extreme weather events, social polarization, and the proliferation of misinformation. Andrew George, President of Specialty at Marsh Risk, highlighted that these divisions are at the core of current risks, affecting everything from equity to public health. George noted that the move by governments away from established frameworks increases the possibility of social instability and shared conflicts. In the long term, the report emphasizes that 32 of the 33 analyzed risks will increase in severity over the next ten years.
