Boards value tech-driven R&D and M&A far above other priorities

Core Insights - Growth is central to the mission of publicly held companies, as they seek equity investment to fund growth strategies aimed at boosting shareholder value [1] - A recent survey indicates that 61% of public-company directors prioritize investing in new or enhanced product/service development or pursuing strategic M&A/partnership transactions over the next year [2] Group 1: Growth and Innovation Priorities - Continued growth is essential for sustaining business, but it often involves costs and risks associated with innovation [3] - 32% of directors prioritize advancing the use of emerging technology implementation, while 25% focus on managing capital allocation and 15% on optimizing margins [4] Group 2: Stakeholder Engagement and Management Effectiveness - Only 8% of directors prioritize increasing stakeholder engagement, with even fewer focusing on enriching customer experience (6%) and optimizing culture and workforce management (3%) [5] - 33% of directors rated company executives as highly effective in engaging shareholders and stakeholders, indicating a need for improvement [6] Group 3: Investment Trends - 74% of directors plan to increase investment in emerging technologies, 73% in R&D, and over 53% in M&A over the next year [6] - Only 35% of directors believe their company is ahead of competitors in technological implementation, and less than half (48%) feel the board receives timely and transparent technology and cybersecurity information [7]