IBR and Growth IQ

Navigating tariffs : Maintaining mid-market resilience amid ongoing uncertainty. At the close of 2024, mid-market businesses were riding a steady wave of optimism. According to Grant Thornton's International Business Report (IBR) research 54.6% of mid-market firms planned to increase their exports, with a similarly strong 50.3% expecting revenue growth from international markets. However, as we entered 2025 trade tensions escalated, with optimism experiencing its first notable dip in two years (down 2.9pp to 72.7%). Despite these early signs of caution emerging among mid-market leaders though, the underlying fundamentals – rooted in agility and strategic foresight – remained relatively robust.

Navigating tariffs : Maintaining mid-market resilience amid ongoing uncertainty. At the close of 2024, mid-market businesses were riding a steady wave of optimism. According to Grant Thornton's International Business Report (IBR) research 54.6% of mid-market firms planned to increase their exports, with a similarly strong 50.3% expecting revenue growth from international markets. However, as we entered 2025 trade tensions escalated, with optimism experiencing its first notable dip in two years (down 2.9pp to 72.7%). Despite these early signs of caution emerging among mid-market leaders though, the underlying fundamentals – rooted in agility and strategic foresight – remained relatively robust.

After leaping back strongly from the darkest days of the pandemic, the global mid-market could only manage a small additional step forward in the second half of 2021.

Firms need to make a determined and conscious effort to address the leadership pipeline to mitigate against the harm of gender-biased future tech.

Exploring the sustainability journey for the mid-market and what's driving these organisations to take action.

Key Leadership Skills to Expand Your Business Internationally

Women’s leadership in senior positions can impact the commercial performance of mid-market businesses including profit expectations.

Mid-market businesses around the world want to accelerate their ESG and sustainability journey. But they’re going to need support to do so. Peter Bodin, CEO at Grant Thornton International Ltd, outlines his point of view on what governments, policymakers and standard-setters need to do to enable the mid-market segment to play its part in achieving the COP26 goals.

The mid-market’s real prioritisation of sustainability not only reflects the growing expectation of stakeholders but the forward-thinking nature of this entrepreneurial segment. But few companies have made significant progress and many still face significant barriers. Understanding how you can overcome these barriers and integrate sustainability into your strategy and business operating model will create competitive advantage in the years ahead.