UK corporate priorities in 2021: defence over attack

As data from the latest Deloitte CFO survey in the UK shows, executives representing some of the country's biggest businesses will be prioritising a defensive stategy in 2021 as the effects of the pandemic continue to be felt. In fact, half of the CFOs said they do not expect a full recovery in demand until after Q3 this year.

As our infographic shows, defensive approaches to the coming year - such as increasing cash flow, reducing costs and reducing leverage – are at the top of the list, "despite a slightly softer focus on them than in the third quarter." More attack-minded plans such as introducing new products and expanding by acquisition have gained some support since Q3, but are still far from top priority for most large businesses.