Commercial excellence key to navigating today’s AI accelerated economy

As the global market enters 2026, the era of static business planning has come to an end. Organisations now face a landscape defined by permanent geopolitical shifts and rapid technological change. For more on this, we spoke with Fernando Ventureira, chief executive officer of Stratence Partners.

The traditional ways of doing business are no longer sufficient to protect profit margins. The current environment demands a shift from theoretical strategy to a disciplined, high-speed execution model.

In a recent discussion regarding the 2026 market outlook, Ventureira emphasises that volatility is no longer a temporary hurdle but a structural reality. He notes that simply being a large company does not guarantee safety anymore. Instead, a company’s valuation now really hinges on its commercial excellence.

This involves integrating pricing, sales governance, and data-driven decisions into one cohesive operating system. Strategy alone is insufficient; success depends on the ability to translate that strategy into the field with certainty.

“Across most industries, commercial excellence is emerging as the dominant driver of profitability, cash generation, and enterprise value,” notes Ventureira.

“Years of inflation shocks, cost instability, and demand volatility have exposed the limitations of traditional commercial models. Static strategies, disconnected sales organisations, and gut‑feel pricing decisions are being replaced by data‑driven strategic scenarios, real‑time sales governance, and disciplined value‑based pricing architectures.”

AI as a force multiplier

While much of the current conversation around AI focuses on its potential to replace human labour, Ventureira views the technology as a tool for acceleration rather than a standalone solution.

AI delivers results only when it is aligned with clear business objectives and high-quality data. Leading organisations are using these tools to simulate pricing scenarios in real time and automate performance monitoring.

“Artificial Intelligence is not redefining competition on its own. Its real impact lies in acceleration,” Ventureira says.

“AI dramatically increases the speed, quality, and scalability of strategic and commercial decisions – but only when embedded into core business processes.”

This acceleration becomes even more important as strategy cycles continue to shrink. Executive boards now expect to see financial results within months rather than years. For that reason, companies are moving away from sophisticated narratives and toward a culture of accountability.

Measurable impacts

The shift toward commercial excellence is producing tangible financial benefits. Ventureira points out that companies focusing on pricing discipline and execution often see net price improvements of up to 3%. More significantly, these organisations can achieve a 7% increase in earnings before interest and taxes within 18 months.

“These results are not dependent on aggressive growth assumptions or exceptional market conditions,” says Ventureira.

“They are most often achieved through execution discipline, cross‑functional alignment, and the systematic embedding of pricing and commercial decisions into day‑to‑day operations. For boards and executive teams, this reframes commercial excellence from a transformation initiative into a capital‑efficient performance lever with predictable returns.”

The application of these principles varies by sector. For example, in the chemical and industrial industries, the focus is on managing portfolio complexity and protecting margins against volatile supply chains. Meanwhile in healthcare and finance, the priority is often on compliance and risk-adjusted growth.

Regardless of the field, the goal remains the same: Using AI and disciplined governance to ensure that every commercial decision adds value.

The path to lasting autonomy

For leadership teams, the mandate is clear. The most successful organisations are those that prioritise execution certainty over theoretical perfection.

Ventureira notes that winners in this era embed AI directly into where decisions are made, such as deal management and incentive structures, rather than keeping it tucked away in isolated dashboards. Ultimately, the goal of a commercial transformation is to create an organisation that can sustain itself.

“Across all industries, the message is consistent: Commercial excellence, accelerated by AI, is no longer optional. It is the mechanism through which strategy is converted into predictable financial performance,” concludes Ventureira.

“The era of abstract strategy is over. The era of AI-accelerated, commercially grounded, results-driven strategy has fully arrived.”