Geopolitical risk now a top 10 concern: Aon survey

Cyberattacks remain the top concern of risk managers and executives globally, but geopolitical volatility entered the top 10 for the first time in the Aon 2025 Global Risk Management Survey.

The risk of geopolitical volatility rose to ninth place, marking a nearly 30-spot jump since 2019, said Aon, which released the survey results Wednesday.

Climate change and weather and natural disasters also reached their highest-ever survey rankings at 16th and 13th, respectively.

The rise of risks related to trade and geopolitical challenges reflects growing instability across regions, with implications for supply chains, regulatory environments and financial performance, according to the biennial survey.

Despite rising volatility, most organizations remain underprepared. Only 14% of survey respondents track their exposure to the top 10 risks, and just 19% use analytics to evaluate the value of their insurance programs.

The findings underscore the urgent need for organizations to rethink their approach to risk, moving from reactive measures to proactive, integrated strategies, Aon said.

“The rise of trade and geopolitical risk shows that volatility is now a constant in business,” Joe Peiser, CEO of commercial risk for Aon, said in a statement.

“From new tariffs to shifting alliances, these forces have real consequences to businesses’ financial performance. Ultimately, resilience is no longer table stakes for companies — it must be built into an enterprise-wide strategy powered by analytics and scenario planning,” Mr. Peiser said.

Nearly 3,000 executives at companies in 63 countries across 16 industries participated in the survey, conducted from April to June.