T H E 1 2 T H U THE MOST PRESSING CHALLENGES COMMUNICATIONS & MEDIA CROSS INDUSTRY N I S T E D N A 1 INFLATION & PRICE VOLATILITY 2 TALENT SCARCITY 3 THREATS TO PUBLIC HEALTH T I O N S G L 4% O 9% B N A & L C O 57% M 53% 51% P 42% 40% 40% A C T - A C C O E N T U The shift to digital has placed M R CURRENT LANDSCAPE E C the communications & media E O S T industry under severe stress. TOP RESILIENCE ACTIONS FOR COMMUNICATIONS & MEDIA CEOS U D To address the rise in demand, Y CEOs are investing heavily in TI of CEOs are of CEOs are of CEOs are digitizing upskilling or launching new 77% 76% 75% building resilient and efficient business processes reskilling their workforce for product and service offerings the future labor market for sustainability infrastructure, as well as fostering E a strong workforce and underlying A governance to be able to provide The COVID pandemic has elevated connectivity as a necessity to the global economy and the individual. Industry CEOs are therefore affordable, equitable access to all.tasked with providing this basic necessity in an affordable and equitable manner. As Joost Farwerck, CEO and Chairman Board of D Management of Royal KPN N.V., explains, “Our business comes with the responsibility of making our infrastructure available, accessible, and secure. Internet has become a lifeline. It serves as an engine for progress to connect everyone to a sustainable future.” Yet, talent C scarcity issues can inhibit progress. CEOs are, therefore, investing heavily in upskilling and reskilling their current workforce, while investing in enhancing diversity and inclusion initiatives to attract more top-tier talent in a competitive environment. CEOs are also advancing sustainability efforts, particularly new product and service offerings, to attract new customers and employees, thereby strengthening their competitiveness. I A WHERE IS THE INDUSTRY GOING? NI TOP SUSTAINABILITY PRIORITIES FOR COMMUNICATIONS & MEDIA CEOS “It is imperative that we bridge of CEOs are of CEOs are of CEOs are advancing investing in enhancing the digital divide, but the answer 69% 66% 59% isn’t just more broadband, it’s digital transformation skills development diversity and inclusion accessibility and affordability of devices, digital education, digital infrastructure – those are the In a rapidly evolving market, communications and media CEOs are investing in advancing their digital abilities, particularly in cloud- things that will change the world.”based capabilities, to grow at speed and scale. However, there are also rising governance concerns that the industry is navigating, including responsible media consumption, cybersecurity, and information validation to protect against misinformation. Hans Vestberg, Chairman and CEO of VerizonMUTRANSFORMATIVE INNOVATIONS Cloud-native cybersecurity 54% Virtualized, cloud-native communications infrastructure 52% Resources for responsible media consumption 48% M Information validation to protect against misinformation 47% Circular economy principles and responsible resource management 40% O HIGH IMPACT MODERATE IMPACT LOW IMPACT NO IMPACT C 96 97