Spotlight on a year in review at Purdie Pascoe
Interview with Guy Pascoe, Co-Founder
As we all start to get into the festive spirit ahead of the holiday season, it’s a perfect time to reflect on achievements, and of course challenges across the past year. 2025 has been a big year for Purdie Pascoe, and in this short interview, Co-Founder Guy Pascoe provides insight into what has made this year so pivotal for the business, why it’s such an exciting time to be working in the MedTech space, and what’s on the cards for 2026.
Q. Guy, for those who don’t know you, could you provide a quick introduction to yourself?
Where to begin… Let’s just say I started my career when email was still considered ‘cutting-edge technology’… and leave it at that. My first proper job was with Deloitte Consulting, after which I spent a few years in the telecoms industry before, like so many of us, “falling into” market research and never looking back. I met Marianne in 2005, we founded Purdie Pascoe in 2008, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Q. As 2025 draws to a close, are there any fun plans with the team to mark the festive season?
We’ll be celebrating a great year with the UK-based team over a long, indulgent lunch at one of London’s best gastropubs. And just before the holidays, the whole company will come together for our annual festive quiz, where the friendly competitive spirit always comes out in full force.
Q. This year marked Purdie Pascoe’s 17th year in business. Can you briefly tell us how the company has evolved in recent years?
Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose. We’ve grown from the small team of 7–8 UK-based researchers we were for most of our first decade into a group of 50+ across the US, UK, and Canada. We’ve added new divisions, notably our Post Market Survey team under the leadership of Marcus Torr, and our Precision Diagnostics practice led by Marianne Fillion. We’ve also built an in-house Innovation team overseen by Paolo Gambetti to help us navigate the evolving landscape, improve our efficiencies, and keep pace with AI.
And yet, in many ways, much remains the same. We’ve worked hard to preserve the best parts of being a small agency, with hands-on senior involvement and close collaboration, while staying true to our core values of being supportive, specialist, committed, and bold.
Q: The company recently reaffirmed its MedTech positioning and launched a rebrand. Can you shed some light on this direction and how it has been received?
We started out 100% focused on the medical device and diagnostics industry, and that was the case for most of our first decade. In recent years, we’ve taken on more pharma work and continue to support that sector, but we felt our market positioning had become less differentiated. As a team, we realised our heart still lies with MedTech, and we thrive on the variety and rapid pace of change in the sector, now further amplified by the growth of digital health and AI-driven innovation.
As researchers we often advise our clients on how to stand out against competitors, own their space, and avoid being seen as a “jack of all trades” rather than a master of one. It became clear that we needed to take our own advice, the rebrand allows us to showcase what we truly specialise in and communicate our unique focus to the market.
Q. Has this new direction brought the Primary Market Research and Post Market Survey teams closer together in terms of the offering to clients?
Absolutely — it’s all about following the brand. Because of our full focus on MedTech, our Primary Market Research and Post Market Survey teams can work closer than they ever have before. For example, a project may start with identifying a product design pre-commercialisation. Once the device is on the market, the client has regulatory obligations, which is where Real World Data collection and Post Market Surveys come in.
Our teams can work together seamlessly: insights from market research can feed into cost-effective Post Market Surveys, providing clinical RWD for regulatory submissions. If survey findings suggest a product design needs revisiting, our market research team is perfectly placed to step back in, having already been involved in the pre-commercialisation work, and re-test customer response to any changes.
We’re seeing more clients understand the value of working with one partner across the full product lifecycle rather than multiple agencies. This integration is something we are particularly proud of, it allows us to leverage the strengths of both teams, follow the brand end-to-end, and deliver a truly differentiated offering in the MedTech space.
Q: Collaboration and true partnership with clients is so important in our industry. In your opinion, what makes the partnerships between clients and the team so unique?
What sets our client partnerships apart is the way Purdie Pascoe is structured. From the very first conversation, clients work with the same experienced team throughout the project, giving continuity, expertise, and a level of personal connection that larger firms can’t match.
Because of these close partnerships, we’re not afraid to challenge clients, such as revisiting messaging, exploring why something isn’t working, or questioning assumptions. This is how real change happens, shaping strategy and driving clients forward, and we consistently hear they value this approach.
We’re proud of both our long-standing and new client relationships. Our size and focus lets clients engage directly with the team, rather than being handed off between layers of staff. Senior involvement, high-quality research, a boutique, client-first approach, and fearless collaboration are what give our partnerships their unique edge.
Q: You are a seasoned researcher and still very hands on with project work. Given the company’s recent growth, how do you balance overseeing the business while still conducting research?
Good question — it’s definitely a work in progress! The truth is, I can’t imagine not being hands-on with research. Like all my fellow Directors, I simply enjoy it too much, and working with brilliant clients I’ve known for many years is a real privilege. Fortunately, we have an incredible depth of talent and experience at all levels of the company, so as I spend more time managing the business, I can feel confident that our clients are receiving the same level of dedication and expertise as always.
Q: You opened the US office two years ago, led by Sabera Hyderally - how has the US team evolved?
We were fortunate to be joined not only by the brilliant Sabera but also by several of her former colleagues, giving the team an incredibly strong and unified core from day one. Since then, they’ve added two team members based in the UK and have recently hired another two in the US, reflecting growth within that time as well as that of the wider company.
Opening the US office has been pivotal for us, it provides direct exposure and has allowed us to strengthen relationships with clients across North America, whilst ensuring we can deliver high-quality insights more quickly and effectively to the market. It’s been a real step forward in broadening our reach and impact.
Q: AI has been integrated into many businesses (including Purdie Pascoe!) and the company is now certified under the EU AI Act. How do you monitor and decide which AI tools should be integrated into the business?
This is such an important issue. There are so many shiny new tools out there, and it’s tempting to try them as soon as they appear, but we’re fully aware of the potential pitfalls. One crucial aspect is taking compliance and quality control seriously. We’re extremely lucky to have the talented Lindsey Cotterill as our Operations Director, who works with Paolo, Head of Innovation, to carefully investigate, test, and evaluate a wide array of new technologies, tools, techniques, frameworks, and approaches — including AI.
It’s all about balance. AI has enormous potential, and we’ve been integrating it into the business over the last couple of years. But at the end of the day, we’ve learned there’s no replacing the human touch — for now, at least, humans still make the best coffee and tell the better jokes.
Q: What do you see as the biggest opportunities and indeed challenges in the MedTech industry over the next three to five years?
The opportunities in MedTech are huge. AI, digital health, and precision diagnostics are transforming how we understand and treat patients. There’s real potential to improve outcomes, speed up insights, and make care more personalised.
The challenges are equally clear. Regulatory landscapes are shifting, technology moves fast, and healthcare systems are under pressure, so companies need to be agile, evidence-driven, and strategic. I envisage the winners being those who can innovate whilst staying grounded in real-world impact.
Q: What is one leadership lesson from this year that you will carry into 2026?
This year has reinforced for me the importance of balancing growth with culture. As mentioned, Purdie Pascoe has grown rapidly over the past few years, and as a leader, it’s crucial to navigate that growth while preserving the close-knit, collaborative spirit that makes this company so special. The industry has faced some tough times, but I’m incredibly proud of how we’ve stayed steady and continued to deliver for our clients. Moving into 2026, my focus will be on motivating every member of our team and ensuring that as we grow, everyone at Purdie Pascoe feels supported and valued, something I can’t emphasise enough.
Q: As we wrap up, what has made you most proud of the Purdie Pascoe team this year?
Watching our team members develop is one of the best parts of this job, and we’ve seen a number of well-deserved promotions over the year. I’d like to highlight a few people who have made a particularly strong impact.
Possibly the best decision Marianne and I have made in the last 17 years was asking Marcus Torr to head up our Post Market Survey division. He has proven himself to be an exceptional team leader while simultaneously building a really strong industry profile. This year also saw Chris Webb, one of Marcus’s first recruits, earn promotion to Associate Director, gain RCC accreditation, and win one of our coveted Values Awards — a stellar performance.
Oh, and I can’t finish up without mentioning the great work done by Lauren Poole, our highly talented Marketing Director in masterminding our repositioning and the accompanying brand refresh, supported (as so many of us have been throughout the year) by Hazel Haskayne.
I’m extremely proud of the entire Purdie Pascoe team as we wrap up another fantastic year. I hope our readers enjoy the festive season, and I’m looking forward to an even bigger 2026.