Considering commercial insights roles: Forecasting vs Market research - advice on which factors to consider when choosing? eventual goal is to move closer to commercial/portfolio lane. Ex MBB + PhD

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Market research is a dead end

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Forecast is mostly dead end - I had the role at GNE and it sucked big. We were the COE model and treated like third rate analyst garbage by the brand teams, and all we did was endless updates and scenarios of whimsy. I’m sure cloud platforms and now AI will make the role less tedious, but then also even less in need of humans. Brand forecasting is the utter worst bc you’re just trending sales and NRx etc. to the end of a cycle. The deadest of ends.

Long range forecasting for valuation / BD is very cool and fun and IB-lite if it’s integrated with the pipeline or BD teams, as you’re truly holding the keys to the castle.

So basically the same as the correct MR observations above. Mid-level MR roles you’ll likely manage lots of vendors and generate the story from piles of info. Forecasting you’ll likely do yourself even with seniority, using the MR inputs. Very little tolerance for errors in the role though. MR you can always kinda BS a bit…

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I have a similar background and will share my experience: Market research roles can vary significantly between orgs and even teams. In some cases they’re managed like a COE and do not sit directly with the commercial teams, which limits their impact and influence. In other teams, the market research lead sits with commercial teams and is better able to integrate into the team and build their impact and influence. This latter case can be a great jumping off point for a consultant who wants to get into industry and if you’ve got broader commercial experience then you’ll be well positioned to excel in that role and not get pigeonholed. I can’t speak as broadly to forecasting roles.

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Thanks all! It’s just that strategy roles in pharma are quite limited (or called strategy but really are ad-hoc support). So trying to weigh pros and cons of starting out in pharma in a function where general consulting skills would be valued

So it sounds like the MR/F roles that could be more interesting would ideally be where :

(a) MR/F team works closely with commercial/TA to influence decisions

(b) MR/F focused on early stage pipeline (Ph1-3) to inform key decisions like portfolio/R&D strategy or BD opportunities. Brand/in-line analytics can be repetitive and not always appreciated by brand teams

(c) Mobility within the org to move around across functions beyond MR/F in 2-3 years, or actively switch companies to not be pigeonholed into one role

Does that sound right- Anything else you’d add?

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Strat Planning would be a better place to land than MR/F. F is better obviously as MR is absolutely a dead end in most firms from a career mobility perspective.

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