Meet The Companies Turning Risk Into A Growth Advantage

Most companies still treat risk as something to manage carefully and slowly. A small group is doing things differently, and it's paying off.

Coface's latest survey of 1,250 business leaders across 13 countries uncovered this group. Researchers call them Open Advantage Leaders. They make up just 12.6% of all companies surveyed.

What Sets These Companies Apart

Open Advantage Leaders don't wait until late in the process to bring risk teams into decisions. Seventy percent involve risk teams from the earliest stages of planning. The global average sits well below that, at just 58%.

This early involvement changes how decisions get made. Instead of risk teams reviewing finished plans, they help shape ideas from the start. That shift turns risk from a checkpoint into a genuine collaborator.

They See Risk As An Edge, Not A Brake

These companies also think about risk differently at a fundamental level. Twenty-nine percent view risk as a competitive advantage, compared with just 19% among other companies.

This mindset shift matters because it changes behaviour across the organisation. Teams stop asking "how do we avoid this" and start asking "how do we do this safely." That reframing opens up opportunities other companies simply pass on.

Debate And Challenge Are Encouraged, Not Discouraged

Open Advantage Leaders also build a different internal culture. Thirty-eight percent of them actively foster debate and challenge among teams. Among other companies, that figure drops to just 23%.

This culture of open debate likely explains why these companies avoid the trust issues holding others back. Globally, 59% of leaders say risk feedback feels overly cautious or disconnected from the market. Companies that debate openly seem to close that gap more effectively.

The Bigger Shift: From Protection To Projection

Across the wider survey, expectations for risk teams are clearly changing. Today, only 24% of decision-makers view risk teams as genuine growth partners. Within three to five years, that number is expected to reach 44%.

This shift reflects a move away from risk teams that simply say "no." Businesses increasingly want teams that help build a secure "yes" instead. Half of all executives, 50%, still believe saying "no" feels safer, even when structured exploration could work.

Open Advantage Leaders appear to be ahead of this curve already. Their practices show what many companies hope to achieve in the coming years.

Dubai Already Shows Signs Of This Shift

Dubai's results in the survey point toward a market moving in this direction. Thirty-two percent of Dubai organisations involve risk teams at the idea stage. That beats the global average of 24% by a solid margin.

Around 36% of Dubai businesses already see risk as a strategic growth partner. At the same time, 82% of Dubai organisations now prioritise AI-driven insights for faster decisions. This combination suggests Dubai could produce more Open Advantage Leaders in the years ahead.

Data And AI Will Decide Who Catches Up

Becoming an Open Advantage Leader isn't just about mindset. Data plays a major role too. Only 20% of companies report consistent data across all their markets.

Fifty-nine percent of executives now want risk teams to use predictive insights for scenario planning. Fifty-four percent want faster adoption of AI-driven risk analysis tools. These tools could help more companies close the gap with today's leaders.

Mohamad Jomaa, CEO and Country Manager for GCC and Egypt at Coface, spoke about this evolving landscape. He said AI-driven insights are becoming increasingly important for helping organisations anticipate change. He noted this helps businesses assess opportunities earlier while maintaining strong controls.

The Path Forward For Other Companies

Xavier Durand, CEO of Coface, framed the challenge clearly for businesses still catching up. He said the most successful companies aren't the ones taking fewer risks. They're the ones with the best intelligence to make faster, smarter decisions.

For the 87% of companies not yet classified as Open Advantage Leaders, the roadmap looks fairly clear. Bring risk teams in earlier. Build a culture that welcomes debate. Invest in better, more consistent data. The companies that make these changes first will likely lead their markets next.