The 17th Annual Global CEO Survey was launched at the World Economic Forum in Davos. In this year's Survey, we set out to uncover how CEOs are responding to the global trends transforming business. We surveyed 1,344 business leaders across 68 countries around the world, in the last quarter of 2013, and conducted further in-depth interviews with 34 CEOs.

CEOs are feeling more optimistic and coming out of 'survival' mode to focus on growth. But growth opportunities have become increasingly complex, prompting CEOs to be more selective about the overseas markets they focus on.

To make the most of these opportunities, CEOs are transforming their businesses in three key areas:

• Redesigning their value propositions to meet the needs of tomorrow's customer
• Building a workforce ready for future challenges
• Identifying and serving new customers and markets