Global CEOs see U-shaped recession, fear death of some brands: Study

11 per cent of chief executives see coronavirus as a risk to the survival of their firm, while a further 40 per cent say the pandemic poses a severe threat.

Global business leaders are preparing for a drawn-out U-shaped recession due to the impact of coronavirus and many fear their companies won't survive the pandemic, a survey of thousands of chief executives showed on Wednesday.

The pandemic sweeping the world has killed nearly 170,000 people, routed financial markets and could trigger the worst economic meltdown since the 1930s Great Depression.

Around 60 per cent of chief executives are preparing for a U-shaped recovery—a long period between recession and an upturn—compared with 22 per cent who predict a double-dip recession, according to an April 15-19 poll of 3,534 chief executives from 109 countries