Oliver Wyman

The future of cities lies in blending nature with AI and here is why: 1️⃣ Nearly half the world lives in cities, and their growth challenges infrastructure and climate resilience. 2️⃣ “Senseable” cities focus on what technology reveals about real urban life, giving communities agency rather than just optimizing systems. 3️⃣ Climate adaptation requires a new ambition—combining natural infrastructure, AI sensing, and collective intelligence to build resilience. 4️⃣ AI will enhance city planning by making urban dynamics visible and supporting transparent, accountable governance. 5️⃣ Inclusive innovation is key, with advanced mapping and data tools helping informal settlements improve safety and property rights. Take a deeper look at how nature and AI can make cities more human as our partner Ben Simpfendorfer discussed with MIT professor Carlo Ratt: https://owy.mn/3PpfX5J

Competitive disruption ranks as the no.1 business opportunity by 65% of CEOs. Those CEOs are twice as likely to pursue large, transformative M&A, using consolidation and capability acquisition to outmaneuver competitors. Explore more in the Oliver Wyman Forum CEO Agenda 2026: https://owy.mn/4tGhZw5

With the average multinational company currently operating in more than 120 cites, we take a look at the top 1,500 cities for business. Also in this edition of Now You KnOW: digital assets in wholesale banking, a new biopharma hotspot in China, and the impact of stablecoins on Europe.

The role of the CFO is expanding quickly. Seven in 10 CFOs now rank strategy and transformation among their top three priorities, and 72% to take on more responsibility in these areas over the next three years. As geopolitical risk, economic volatility, and technological disruption test long‑standing operating assumptions, CFOs are moving beyond financial stewardship as they play a greater role in creating enterprise strategy, making critical decisions on capital allocation, and driving value creation in a volatile business climate. Read more in our first edition of The CFO Agenda, in collaboration with NYSE and the Oliver Wyman Forum: https://owy.mn/4nJdVtR

Agentic AI is reshaping how commerce works – from how decisions are made to how customers engage, buy, and stay loyal.   At SXSW London, we’ll be exploring what this shift really means for businesses, and how leaders can move from experimentation to real impact.   Join Adrian Oest, and experts from Virgin StartUp, 11teamsports Group, Toolhouse, and Air France-KLM Group, as they share perspectives on how agentic AI is reimagining commerce and what it takes to stay ahead as this technology evolves.   If you’re attending SXSW London, join us for the conversation.

Here are the top 20 cities supporting the next-decade of growth. The Oliver Wyman Forum ranked 1,500 cities representing over 75% of global GDP by five factors: commercial vibrancy, connectivity, supply chains, innovation, and climate resilience. 1. Tokyo, Japan 2. New York, United States 3. Seoul, Korea 4. London, United Kingdom 5. Shanghai, China 6. Los Angeles, United States 7. Paris, France 8. Beijing, China 9. Singapore, Singapore 10. Hong Kong, China 11. Chicago, United States 12. Dubai, United Arab Emirates 13. Dallas, United States 14. Houston, United States 15. Washington, United States 16. Toronto, Canada 17. Atlanta, United States 18. San Francisco, United States 19. Mumbai, India 20. Madrid, Spain Read the full report for all the insights and different rankings: https://owy.mn/495SWvd

The future of agentic commerce is here. Our partners at Experian just announced a new addition to the Agent Trust ecosystem. We believe this solution should be the de-facto for the industry. Why? 1. Agentic commerce is no longer theoretical. AI agents are already navigating the web, initiating transactions, and increasingly seeking permission to act autonomously on behalf of users. Adoption will accelerate quickly as utility improves. 2. Emerging agent protocols are an important step forward. Each has value (messaging, orchestration, or transaction standards), but is incomplete, leaving critical gaps around identity, authenticity, and fraud. 3. Data is the difference between a credible vs. fraudulent agent; this is the only solution that offer verifiable, immutable trust at every stage of an agentic transaction. Read about the Agent Trust ecosystem: https://owy.mn/4tHxWCl

The Oliver Wyman Forum ranked 1,500 cities representing over 75% of global GDP. One of many dimensions reviewed was the number of cities served by each city’s combined airports. It discovered that Istanbul can fly directly to 328 different cities, making it the most globally connected city in this ranking. Second was Frankfurt, connecting to 292 cities. Third, Paris connects to 290 cities, and fourth was Dubai connects to 288 cities. For more insights on 1,500 cities across five factors: commercial vibrancy, connectivity, supply chains, innovation, and climate resilience read the "The cities shaping the future": https://owy.mn/42E9VkJ

The geography of growth is changing swiftly as a new set of global cities rises to challenge the dominant legacy hubs. Today, the Oliver Wyman Forum publishes The cities shaping the future 2026, a ranking of 1,500 cities exploring which are shaping the next era of business growth. For decades, global business centred on a fairly small group of commercial, financial, and political capitals – think New York, London, Paris, Tokyo. Now, a broader set of highly-connected cities around the world with vibrant commercial, talent, and tech ecosystems are emerging as the new global outperformers. More than 570 cities in the analysis are in Europe and the US, where data center investment, reshoring, and technology ecosystems continue to drive growth. But an even larger share are in Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America, where GDP growth is often higher and most of the world's urban population lives. A modern global footprint needs to account for market access, supply chain resilience, talent, connectivity, and climate risk. The right answer may be an established hub – or a buzzing midsize city, a new industrial manufacturing stronghold, or a cluster of cities that together offer more scale and flexibility than one location alone. Read the full report: https://owy.mn/42E9VkJ

Wholesale banks are in great shape today. But the road ahead is uncertain, with a wave of structural shifts threatening the strong revenue outlook and economics of the business. Among these shifts will be the rise of Digital Assets. Together with Morgan Stanley Research – we take a deeper look at Digital Assets and the potential impact on revenue pools, economic models, and the competitive landscape for the industry: https://owy.mn/4uMjI44