Market research agencies don’t lack opportunity – but they do face an urgent question: how do we remain indispensable in a world reshaped by AI, data abundance and new competitors?

At the MRS Leaders Forum on 20th May, one theme came through clearly: success won’t come from reacting to change, but from adapting with intent.

Transformation is no longer optional – it is a commercial imperative. The marketplace offers huge opportunity, but also real disruption. The agencies that thrive will be those that make conscious choices about how they evolve – building consultative capability and stepping forward with confidence to seize what this new environment offers.

A growing opportunity, if we choose to own it

The demand for data, research and insight continues to expand rapidly. Much of this may sit outside what we traditionally label “primary research”, but it is firmly within our industry’s heartland.

Large parts of the commercial world are only now beginning to systematically listen to and understand their customers. Technology is unlocking this at pace. As highlighted in the MRS Business of Evidence report (as introduced by Jane Frost, chief executive at MRS), this shift is not marginal – it is structural.

For agency leaders, this reframes the challenge. Our role is not shrinking; it is broadening. The opportunity is to define our place at the centre of this expanding ecosystem, rather than defending a narrower, historical definition of research.

From insight provider to decision partner

The most consistent thread throughout the forum was the shift from research delivery to advisory partnership.

As an industry, we can own the space of decision confidence – helping clients make better, evidence-led commercial decisions. This goes beyond providing high-quality, validated data. It means embedding insight into how decisions are made, increasingly within AI-enabled environments.

However, making this shift requires more than intent – it requires repositioning.

Nicole Duckworth of 4twenty2 made a particularly important point: if over 80% of decisions about advisory partners are made before a formal buying process begins, then agencies competing at pitch stage are often already too late.

For leaders, this demands a rethink of commercial strategy. Winning work is no longer just about conversion; it’s about presence earlier in the client’s thinking – shaping problems, not just responding to them.

Transformation is a continuous journey

In conversation, Paul Hudson of FlexMR reflected on a 20-year journey that has already involved two major business model transformations – with a further shift now underway towards a more consultancy-led model.

The lesson here is clear: transformation is not a one-off event. It is an ongoing process of reinvention, driven by deliberate choices about where to play and how to win.

Similarly, Dr Matilda Andersson’s experience of scaling and selling Truth Consulting reinforced the attractiveness of a consultancy-led model – but also the importance of a clear, focused and well-communicated plan. Investors are drawn not just to growth, but to clarity of direction.

Building the capabilities to deliver change

If the ambition is clear, the next question is capability.

Rachel Fraser’s session on developing “future leaders by design” highlighted the need for intentional investment in leadership and skills. Transformation does not happen by accident – it is built through deliberate capability development over time.

This is perhaps one of the biggest challenges for agency leaders: balancing short-term delivery with long-term capability building. The shift to consultancy, advisory and influence requires different skills – commercial, relational and strategic – as much as technical.

An industry already reshaped

Change is not just ahead of us – it has already been happening at pace.

As Lucy Davison of Keen as Mustard Marketing and Kahren Kersten of Cambiar Consulting highlighted, the ownership structure of the industry has shifted significantly over the past two decades. Where once private and public ownership dominated, today more than 50% of capital comes from private equity and venture capital.

This has profound implications:

• Greater expectations of growth and scalability
• Increased focus on commercial strategy
• More disciplined approaches to transformation.

The experiences shared by industry leaders (Ginny Monk of Motif, Jonathan Williams of One Strategy Studio and Dave Phillips of Kantar) who have navigated these transitions reinforced a consistent message: clarity of objective and decisive execution are critical. Change is rarely comfortable – but it is manageable when approached with intent.

A collaborative and resilient community

One of the most striking aspects of the forum was the openness of the discussions. Agency leaders sharing challenges, comparing approaches and working through common problems together.

Despite the disruption many are feeling, there is also a sense of confidence. Our industry combines intellectual rigour, professional standards and a deep commitment to putting real people at the heart of decision-making.

Those fundamentals remain highly relevant.

Moving forward: adapt with intent

The agencies that thrive in the next phase of our industry will not be those that simply keep up with change.

They will be those that:

• Make clear choices about their future role
• Invest deliberately in new capabilities
• Position themselves as partners in decision-making, not just providers of data.

The opportunity is there. The demand for insight, evidence and understanding is only increasing.

The question for agency leaders is simple: are we adapting by default – or are we adapting with intent?

Paul Griffiths is growth consultant at Client Advocates

• The MRS Leaders Forum is a network for agency leaders.