• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Despite having a $165 million net worth, Scarlett Johansson says work-life balance doesn’t exist—and the first step to success is admitting that

2

Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI

3

The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises

1

Despite having a $165 million net worth, Scarlett Johansson says work-life balance doesn’t exist—and the first step to success is admitting that

2

Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI

3

The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
MagazineEditor's Desk

From recession risk to crypto winter, 2022 is about the survival of the fittest

Alyson Shontell
By
Alyson Shontell
Alyson Shontell
Editor-in-Chief and Chief Content Officer
Down Arrow Button Icon
Alyson Shontell
By
Alyson Shontell
Alyson Shontell
Editor-in-Chief and Chief Content Officer
Down Arrow Button Icon
August 3, 2022, 4:00 AM ET
Fortune's August/September 2022 cover with Sam Bankman-Fried.
Photograph by Spencer Heyfron

In a very stressful year, the 33rd annual Fortune Global 500 list tells a cheerful story. Our annual ranking of the world’s biggest companies posted powerful numbers: Revenue for the group was up 19% year over year, and profits hit an all-time high of $3.1 trillion.

Here’s the catch: Those numbers reflect financials from 2021, when the world was starting to bounce back from COVID-19. This year has brought a new truckload of challenges, and nobody’s celebrating. A recent Fortune and Deloitte survey of CEOs found that 67% are “pessimistic” or “very pessimistic” about prospects for the global economy over the next 12 months. That’s up from just 12% in January.

European business leaders have been feeling the pain longer than most. The Russia-Ukraine conflict is raging in their backyard, and they were hurting long before their U.S. and Asian peers.

In her soon-to-be-published feature, Fortune’s Vivienne Walt outlines the unprecedented conditions world leaders are navigating. “Soaring post-COVID demand has collided with skyrocketing fuel prices and transportation costs to create shortages and bottlenecks everywhere along the chain of global trade,” she writes. “And all of that has been exacerbated by the grow-ing strain of the Ukraine war—Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II.”

Other CEOs have had to manage tricky social and legal pressures. In a Fortune exclusive by Geoff Colvin, McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski describes the monthslong, heavily scrutinized decision-making process that led the restaurant giant to shut down all 853 of its stores in Russia. The move impacted 62,000 employees and essentially wiped away 7% of global revenue overnight. Kempczinski explains how he made the call.

For businesses of every size, the real test will be who can survive and thrive in tough conditions like these, especially if—or when—a recession of unknown length and depth settles in. Some, like the world’s largest commodity traders, will likely keep finding ways to record profits. Others will evaporate, as many Web3 startups have done in the “crypto winter.” Check out our cover story on crypto exchange FTX and its billionaire creator, Sam Bankman-Fried. Despite the downturn, he hopes to be the industry’s white knight. In the spirit of Warren Buffett (who’s more than 60 years his senior), he’s being greedy when others are fearful.

I’d also like to introduce you to a new section of the magazine that is historic for us: Fortune Well.

We firmly believe that home and work life are closely connected. If you’re not successful in navigating your health, your well-being, and your relationships, you won’t be a successful leader either. Fortune Well, helmed by editor Jennifer Fields, brings you the best tips for staying healthy and active, with new content posting continually at fortune.com/well. In a version of a story that appeared in this issue, our Well team digs into how companies are grappling with the challenges of long COVID.

Thanks for investing your valuable time in Fortune. We hope our stories will help you lead better and be better.

A version of this article appears in the August/September 2022 issue of Fortune with the headline, “Survival of the fittest.”

Sign up for the Fortune Features email list so you don’t miss our biggest features, exclusive interviews, and investigations.

About the Author
Alyson Shontell
By Alyson ShontellEditor-in-Chief and Chief Content Officer
Instagram iconLinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Alyson Shontell is the editor-in-chief and chief content officer at Fortune.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest from the Magazine

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest from the Magazine

Anduril CEO Brian Schimpf
MagazineDefense
Inside Anduril: Meet the quiet engineer-CEO building America’s $31 billion weapons startup
By Allie GarfinkleMay 6, 2026
11 days ago
A Michigan farm town voted down plans for a giant OpenAI-Oracle data center. Weeks later, construction began
MagazineData centers
A Michigan farm town voted down plans for a giant OpenAI-Oracle data center. Weeks later, construction began
By Sharon GoldmanMay 6, 2026
11 days ago
The American Express CEO defied haters who said he’d never have the top job—winning with millennials and Gen Z and trouncing the competition
MagazineAmerican Express
The American Express CEO defied haters who said he’d never have the top job—winning with millennials and Gen Z and trouncing the competition
By Shawn TullyMay 6, 2026
11 days ago
Photo of Marc Benioff
Magazinecommunication
Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff turned his earnings call into a vodcast. Why other Fortune 500 CEOs might follow
By Rachel VentrescaMay 6, 2026
11 days ago
A top Blackstone executive is becoming an unlikely LinkedIn star thanks to his running videos
Magazinecommunication
A top Blackstone executive is becoming an unlikely LinkedIn star thanks to his running videos
By Rachel VentrescaApril 21, 2026
26 days ago
Who’s really in control as AI and Big Tech race ahead?
MagazineEurope
Who’s really in control as AI and Big Tech race ahead?
By Francesca CassidyApril 10, 2026
1 month ago

Most Popular

Despite having a $165 million net worth, Scarlett Johansson says work-life balance doesn’t exist—and the first step to success is admitting that
Success
Despite having a $165 million net worth, Scarlett Johansson says work-life balance doesn’t exist—and the first step to success is admitting that
By Preston ForeMay 13, 2026
3 days ago
Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI
AI
Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI
By Jake AngeloMay 16, 2026
7 hours ago
The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
Politics
The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
By Jake AngeloMay 12, 2026
4 days ago
Current price of oil as of May 15, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of May 15, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 15, 2026
1 day ago
Meet the 20-year-old CEO who launched a company in high school to solve Gen Z's entry-level job crisis
Future of Work
Meet the 20-year-old CEO who launched a company in high school to solve Gen Z's entry-level job crisis
By Jake AngeloMay 16, 2026
11 hours ago
Debbie Gibson, Geezer Butler of Black Sabbath want you to adopt a beagle rescued from an experimental lab in Wisconsin
North America
Debbie Gibson, Geezer Butler of Black Sabbath want you to adopt a beagle rescued from an experimental lab in Wisconsin
By Scott Bauer and The Associated PressMay 13, 2026
3 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.