We spoke to over 30 CEOs and business leaders. Here's what worries them most

over 30 ceos and business leaders gathered at cnbc's converge live event in singapore last week. their shared worry: uncertainty is no longer a temporary disruption but a permanent condition. war, inflation, ai, and supply chain shocks are now baseline, not exceptions. dbs ceo tan su shan's advice: "manage for maximum flexibility. because guess what, you don't know what's going to happen tomorrow." stanley szeto, chairman of lever style, said long-term planning is becoming more difficult. one executive said they "threw our three-year and five-year plan out the window." pandora's thomas knudsen described the shift as "just in case" instead of "just in time." the disruption is clearest in global trade. captain rajalingam subramaniam of fleet management limited said over 2,000 vessels are stuck in the persian gulf, affecting 20,000 to 30,000 mariners. supply chain costs will be "higher for longer," he warned. lever style has increased air freight use despite higher costs. knudsen was blunt: "ultimately, it will all be passed to the consumer." in southeast asia, consumer behavior is shifting. go to ceo hans patuwo said middle-income shoppers in indonesia are "willing to sacrifice assortment" and "speed for cheap." gcash's martha sazon rated the asean consumer's resilience at seven out of ten. patuwo agreed, noting indonesia's history of shocks has taught adaptation.