Singapore Organisations Face "Complexity Conundrum" as They Navigate More Diverse Risk Landscape Than Global Peers, AlixPartners 2025 Survey Reveals

• While 65% of global organizations are unprepared for cyber threats, Singapore pursues industry-leading "all-front defence" strategy
• Singapore's climate change concern reaches 42% - highest in Asia Pacific and double the rate in regional financial hubs

Singapore (July 1, 2025) – AlixPartners today released findings from its 2025 Global Risk Survey highlighting a unique "complexity conundrum" facing Singapore businesses, which must navigate a significantly broader spectrum of interconnected risks compared to their regional and global counterparts.

The survey, based on responses from 1,000 senior executives in legal, compliance, and risk functions globally – including 50 from Singapore – reveals that while global organizations struggle with preparedness for individual risks, Singapore businesses face the added challenge of balancing attention across multiple critical risk categories simultaneously.

"Singapore's position as a global business hub exposes organisations to a uniquely diverse set of interconnected risks," said Reshmi Khurana, Partner & Managing Director, Singapore Country Leader at AlixPartners. "Unlike regional peers who can focus on fewer dominant concerns, Singapore businesses must simultaneously manage technological, regulatory, economic, environmental, and geopolitical factors, creating what we call a 'complexity conundrum.”

 
Key findings specific to Singapore include:

Comprehensive Approach to Cybersecurity Challenges 
While 65% of global organisations report being insufficiently prepared to address cybersecurity incidents, Singapore-based organisations stand apart with their uniquely balanced approach to implementation. The survey reveals:

Singapore organisations demonstrate remarkably consistent investment across ALL measured cybersecurity tactics, with scores ranging from 18% to 31% across different measures, indicating a strategic decision to maintain robust defences across multiple fronts simultaneously. By comparison, China focuses heavily on specific tactics (achieving 36% on certain measures but only 27% on others), while Japan shows dramatic variation (ranging from just 18% on some measures to 29% on others).

"This comprehensive cybersecurity approach reflects Singapore's recognition that its complex risk landscape requires a multi-faceted defence strategy rather than prioritizing individual tactics," noted Reshmi Khurana. "While global organisations struggle with cybersecurity preparedness, Singapore businesses are pioneering a more balanced approach that acknowledges the interconnected nature of today's threats."

Climate Change Leadership 
In a striking departure from regional norms, Singapore organisations rank climate change as a significantly higher concern (42%) than their counterparts in Hong Kong (16%), Japan (20%), and even climate-conscious China (39%). 

This heightened awareness positions Singapore as the regional leader in climate risk recognition, with far-reaching implications for resource allocation, long-term business planning, regulatory preparedness, and competitive positioning in an increasingly climate-focused global economy.

"Singapore's heightened focus on climate change reflects a forward-looking risk assessment that will become increasingly important for all businesses," said Reshmi Khurana. "Organisations that follow Singapore's lead in prioritizing climate risk will be better positioned to navigate the regulatory, operational, and reputational challenges that lie ahead as climate impacts accelerate across the globe."

Multi-Jurisdictional Regulatory Challenges 
As 71% of global organisations report being insufficiently prepared for international regulatory changes, Singapore businesses demonstrate heightened awareness of cross-border compliance complexities with balanced investment across:

• Cybersecurity requirements (20%)
• AI regulations (15%)
• Technology resilience regulations (12%)
• ESG requirements (11%)
• Data privacy laws (9%)

Strategic Response to Complexity 
Singapore organisations are responding to this complexity with more diversified investment strategies than their peers:

• Only 3% report not using AI at all (compared to 6% in Japan and 7% globally)
• Balanced investment in financial crime prevention including preventive controls (28%) and technology investment (28%)
• More even distribution across geopolitical risk concerns including supply chain shifts (21%), sanctions (22%), and cybersecurity threats (26%)

Financial Crime and Litigation Outlook 
Aligning with global trends where over 60% of organisations believe financial crime will increase in the next 12 months, Singapore businesses are preparing for growing corporate litigation with a more comprehensive approach:

• Increasing risk assessments (11% - highest in Asia Pacific)
• Engaging external risk and compliance consultants (10%)
• Enhancing internal compliance budgets (10%)

"The complexity of managing multi-jurisdictional operations creates unique challenges for Singapore-based businesses," added Reshmi Khurana. "While the threat of financial crime and corporate litigation is consistent with global trends, Singapore organizations must address these within a broader context of interconnected risks stemming from their role as a regional and global business hub."

Global Context 
The Singapore findings sit within a broader global context where organizations are struggling with preparedness across key risk categories. The global survey reveals that majority of organisations are not sufficiently prepared to address critical risks—from data privacy (61%) and AI threats (68%) to geopolitical impacts (71%) and supply chain disruptions (70%).

About the Survey: Fielded in February 2025, the survey includes responses from professionals based in Asia Pacific with a focus on Hong Kong SAR, Mainland China, Singapore, and Japan, as well as in the U.S., the UK, Western Europe, and Latin America. They operate in a variety of industries, with the largest numbers coming from financial services, technology, and manufacturing. The key findings released today spotlight global trends as well as important insights specific to these regions and industry sectors. To explore AlixPartners’ key findings, click here.

 
ABOUT ALIXPARTNERS

AlixPartners is a results-driven global consulting firm that specializes in helping businesses successfully address their most complex and critical challenges. Our clients include companies, corporate boards, law firms, investment banks, private equity firms, and others. Founded in 1981, AlixPartners is headquartered in New York and has offices in more than 20 cities around the world. For more information, visit www.alixpartners.com.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Nadine Sequeira, AlixPartners
[email protected]