Yahoo Finance KPMG US CEO: Every single CEO I talk to is thinking about disruption
Consulting and accounting giant KPMG US’s CEO and chairman Lynne Doughtie says the CEOs she’s spoken with are optimistic about the US economy.
Earlier this week, International Monetary Fund (IMF) raised its outlook for US economic growth for 2017 and 2018 mainly on optimism about president-elect Donald Trump’s proposals to stimulate the economy.
“I’m optimistic as well,” Doughtie tells Yahoo Finance’s Alexis Christoforous in an interview at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
One area in particular that could spur much of the growth in the US and globally is technology. She sees the disruption happening across the board, from financial services to healthcare.
“Every single CEO that I’m talking to, it doesn’t matter what industry, it is one of the main topics of conversation is how do they use new disruptive technologies — artificial intelligence, cognitive, and the like to improve their business, make it more efficient, and really transform how they’re able to have new business models to grow in new ways. And so it has many implications, but I think it’s a huge opportunity for all of us. And I’m really looking forward to this exciting time of how we’re applying new technologies and new ways.”
Doughtie acknowledged the uncertain environment, but also noted that there are many reasons to be optimistic based on what we do know.
“I think that there is a bit of uncertainty,” she said. “I mean there’s the certainty in the fact that we know what administration that we have but there’s still a bit of uncertainty about what does trade reform look like? What does tax reform look like? Regulatory reform as well. But, I think many of the companies that I’m talking with, especially here at Davos, it’s the topic of the day. And I think that there are many pro-business opportunities and organizations are feeling optimistic about their growth projections.”
Doughtie is expecting an uptick in deal activity from companies.
“I think there was a lull for a while as we all know and rightfully so because of some of the uncertainty. But I think people are feeling now more confident about going forward with many of their business initiatives and big opportunities to grow and I think M&A will be back on track 2017.”
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