From survive to thrive: Five moves every CEO must make now

South African CEOs are navigating one of the toughest business landscapes in decades. Growth is projected at just 1.4% in 2025, constrained by chronic infrastructure failure, rising input costs, trade shifts and mounting regulatory pressure.

Yet history shows that periods of disruption often spark innovation. Companies that embraced digitalisation during the pandemic are reaping the rewards. Businesses that embedded energy early are now better shielded from double-digit tariff hikes. Retailers that pivoted quickly to e-commerce have captured market share while peers scrambled.

So how should CEOs respond to turn 2025’s turbulence into lasting competitiveness? Five priorities stand out.

1. Secure energy independence

Energy independence is no longer just about cost savings. It’s about business continuity and maintaining investor and customer trust. In South Africa, unplanned outages regularly remove more than 13 000 MW of generation from the grid, forcing recurrent loadshedding at high stages. To counter this, embedded generation must become core to operating models.

Since its launch in 2011, the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) has contracted more than 6,200 MW of renewable capacity across 123 projects, most already operational and supplying power to the grid.

For CEOs, the lesson is clear. Energy is not an input to be managed, but a strategic asset. Businesses that act early will turn volatility into competitive advantage.

2. Defend margins through efficiency

With inflation, fuel, labour and logistics costs climbing, defending margins requires efficiency as a core business discipline. At one Western Cape cold-chain facility, for example, a retrofit halved energy waste and cut net consumption by nearly 30% while improving throughput.

These are not fringe benefits. Every rand saved on wasted kilowatt-hours flows directly to the bottom line. Efficiency is the fastest lever to protect profitability, and CEOs should insist on measurable programmes with clear KPIs.

3. Protect market access

South Africa’s automotive sector illustrates how fast disruption can bite. The industry contributes 5% of GDP and almost 15% of exports, yet output is shrinking, local content is falling and suppliers are closing. Imported Chinese vehicles now claim 13% of the market, up from 9% a year ago, with analysts projecting 20% within a few years. At the same time, the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism threatens exporters unable to demonstrate credible decarbonisation progress.

For CEOs across sectors, the warning is clear: market access is no longer guaranteed. It can be eroded by cheaper imports, constrained by shifting trade rules, or undermined by weak competitiveness. Protecting it means securing cost structures, strengthening supply chains and embedding transparency on environmental impact to avoid new barriers.

 4. Mobilise local capital and partnerships through servitisation

International climate and infrastructure finance is slowing, with African projects increasingly competing for a shrinking pool of funding. South Africa cannot wait for external flows; domestic capital and innovative partnerships must take the lead.

New service models are showing the way. Under servitisation, for instance, the operator funds and manages the energy asset, while the client pays only for output. For CEOs, this shows that resilience need not be capital-intensive. With the right partnerships, operational stability can be achieved alongside financial flexibility.

5. Embrace transparency as a financial asset

In volatile times, clarity builds confidence. Investors, regulators and customers want to know the risks a business faces, the strategies in place, and the progress being made. With ESG disclosure requirements tightening on the JSE, companies that fail to publish credible plans face higher capital costs, while those that demonstrate progress are rewarded with better financing terms.

In 2023, 84 companies responded to CDP disclosure requests, with almost half of JSE-listed firms now reporting. Those who remain silent risk being penalised by both markets and regulators. CEOs should ensure ESG metrics are integrated into investor decks, risk committees and even remuneration policies. Transparency is not about public relations; it is a financial asset that reduces risk and strengthens resilience.

These five priorities are practical and within reach. Disruption is inevitable, but its outcome is not predetermined. South African CEOs who elevate energy, efficiency, access, capital and transparency from boardroom slogans to operational imperatives will not only survive the turbulence of 2025, but thrive well beyond it.

Manie de Waal, CEO of Energy Partners

*** The views expressed here do not necessarily represent those of Independent Media or IOL.

BUSINESS REPORT