COVID-19 will test many business leaders to the limit, amid the crisis, business continuity and crisis management plans commonly prepare organizations for a one-off event, but many would not prepare them for a threat like COVID-19 that could potentially play out over months or longer, as such, all forward-thinking business leaders, including CEOs and CFOs have an imperative to guide their organizations through the COVID-19 crisis, as it is, only a well-prepared organizations can protect their employees and the bottom lines
The rapid global spread of COVID-19 has quickly eclipsed other recent epidemics in both size and scope. It comes with extreme scope and levels of uncertainty. It the face of certain challenges and a still-uncertain set of risks, business leaders, including Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) are rightly concerned about how their organizations will be affected and what they have to do next. As such, this Strategic Briefing provides an opportunity for CEOs and CFOs with a perspective on the evolving COVID-19 situation, implications for their organizations and strategic key actions they can take to mitigate the effects of COVID-19. The essence of this Strategic Briefing offers CEOs and CFOs to act immediately to protect their employees, address business challenges and risks, and help to mitigate the outbreak in whatever ways they can. It is an opportunity to all CEOs and CFOs to re-evaluate and exhibit clarity in order to lead and inspire their organizations to persevere through this crisis, positioning their brand to emerge in a better place, prepared for whatever may come. No crisis is an isolated, neatly contained incident, and the COVID-19 outbreak is exceptional by any standards. It comes with extreme scope and levels of uncertainty. Therefore, crises like these, with deep challenges to be navigated, will also lead to opportunities for learning and deepening trust with all stakeholders, while equipping organizations for a step change that creates more value not just for shareholders, but for society as a whole.