Brent Herspiegel has seen strong life sciences strategies lose force for a reason that rarely fits inside one function. The problem is not always the science, the data, or the commercial plan on its own. More often, it is the space between them: the handoff between medical, access, insights, patient engagement, and commercial execution.

As Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Acumetis, Herspiegel leads a global commercialization partner formed from five founder-led specialist firms, bringing together expertise across commercial strategy, medical, market access, insights, and patient engagement. The firm works heavily around pre-launch and launch, where early decisions can shape whether a therapy is positioned clearly, supported by the right evidence, and ready for the stakeholders it needs to reach.

Before launching the platform that became Acumetis, Herspiegel founded a life sciences consultancy in 2007 after holding pharmaceutical marketing roles at Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk, and Esprit Pharma. In this conversation with The Consulting Report, he discusses the risk that sits between disciplines, how patient input can become part of strategy rather than a one-off exercise, and why the role of judgment remains constant even as AI expands the volume of available information.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

The Consulting Report: Where does Acumetis focus its work within the life sciences industry?

Brent Herspiegel: At a high level, we focus on one part of the industry that we think is often underserved: how therapies actually get to market and succeed once they’re there.

That cuts across functions. We work at the intersection of commercial strategy, medical, access, and patient engagement, rather than treating them as separate disciplines. Most of the challenges our clients face don’t sit neatly in one area, so our work tends to be about connecting those pieces early and making sure decisions hold up in the real world.

A lot of our work is concentrated around key inflection points, particularly pre-launch and launch, where the stakes are highest and the cost of getting things wrong is significant. We also support in-line brands that need to reassess their strategy as the market evolves.

What ties it all together is a focus on decision-making. We’re less interested in producing outputs for their own sake, and more focused on helping leadership teams get to clear, confident decisions that can be executed effectively.

“Most risk doesn’t sit within a single function. It sits in the gaps between them.”

The Consulting Report: How does your firm differentiate itself from competitors?

Brent Herspiegel: The simplest way to describe it is that we’re built around connection. Acumetis is built around a single integrated commercial model and one leadership team, bringing together commercial, insights, medical, market access and patient strategy under one roof.

Most firms in this space are very strong within their lane, whether that’s strategy, analytics, or execution. What I’ve seen in my 20 years in the industry is that where things tend to break down is between those areas. Strategy is developed in one place, execution happens somewhere else, and the link between the two isn’t always as strong as it needs to be. We’ve structured the business differently. One team, one view of the problem, and shared accountability for the outcome. That sounds simple, but it changes how decisions get made.

It also reflects what I saw earlier in my career. Having worked on the client side at companies like Lilly and Novo Nordisk, you realize that most risk doesn’t sit within a single function. It sits in the gaps between them. Our focus is on closing those gaps early. If you get that right, everything downstream becomes more straightforward. If you don’t, even strong strategies can struggle to land.

The Consulting Report: Are there one or two major client projects that demonstrate your firm’s capabilities?

Brent Herspiegel: One of the patterns we see most often is a strong asset that isn’t quite reaching its potential because the strategy isn’t fully aligned around how it will succeed in the real world.

In one recent launch in a rare hematologic disease, the therapy showed clear efficacy, but the client lacked clarity on how to position it against an entrenched standard of care. The work wasn’t about adding more data. It was about reframing the value story, aligning teams around a clear strategic narrative, and connecting how that story would land with physicians and stakeholders. That shift allowed the product to be positioned as a credible first-line option, rather than a marginal alternative. 

In another case, we worked with a company two years ahead of launch to build a patient advocacy council. Over time, that became a core part of how decisions were made across the organization, shaping everything from communications to support programs. Instead of treating patient input as a one-off exercise, it became embedded in the strategy itself. 

Those examples may look very different on the surface, but they point to the same underlying issue: a lack of connection. When strategy, evidence, and stakeholder insight are brought together early, the outcome is not just a better plan, but one that can actually be executed with confidence.

“The technology evolves, but the need for clarity and judgment remains constant.”

The Consulting Report: How would you describe your firm’s culture?

Brent Herspiegel: Acumetis came together from five founder-led firms, and that entrepreneurial spirit remains one of the most distinctive things about the business. Our culture is rooted in collaboration, integrity, and a builder mindset.  People here are naturally curious and solution-oriented, pushing each other to think differently and find better answers rather than just comfortable ones. That builder mindset tends to attract people who embrace challenges rather than avoid them.

However, what keeps us grounded is our deep commitment to integrity. We hold ourselves to a gold standard: to clients, to each other, and to the patients whose lives are ultimately affected by the decisions we help to make. We say what we are going to do, and we do it—with respect, generosity, and care. Trust is built slowly and lost quickly, and everyone here understands that.

We have also worked hard to build an environment where people genuinely listen to one another, invest in real relationships, and feel that they belong regardless of where they are in the world. With a business spanning 50+ countries and nine offices, inclusivity isn't just a value on paper. It allows people to bring their full perspective to the work and feel part of something bigger than their immediate team. Tapping into the knowledge, wisdom, and perspectives of our colleagues, whether within our project teams or cross-functionally, is also what makes Acumetis the business that it is. It’s our collaboration that sets us apart. 

And then there’s the Acumetis ambition. People here genuinely thrive on achievement—on growing, on pushing boundaries, and on knowing their work has made a real difference. We celebrate that at every level of the organization, because recognizing what people accomplish is part of what propels the whole business forward.

“Clarity creates momentum.”

The Consulting Report: Has AI changed what clients need from Acumetis?

Brent Herspiegel: AI is definitely changing the environment, but probably not in the way people first expected.

There’s no question that it’s increasing the volume and accessibility of data, and that’s valuable. But in our experience, the core challenge hasn’t changed. It’s still about how you turn that information into decisions that hold up.

If anything, AI is making that more important. When you have more inputs, the risk is that decision-making becomes slower or less clear, not better.

So while we are seeing more interest in how AI can support things like insight generation and scenario planning, the mandates we’re brought into haven’t fundamentally shifted. Clients still need help connecting different parts of the organization, aligning around a strategy, and making confident decisions in complex situations.

In that sense, the role we play becomes more relevant, not less. The technology evolves, but the need for clarity and judgment remains constant.

The Consulting Report: Is there a book, mentor, or mantra that has influenced how you lead your organization?

Brent Herspiegel: I’ve always believed that great organizations are built at the intersection of high standards and genuine trust. Early in my career, I was heavily influenced by Jim Collins’ book Good to Great, particularly the idea that enduring companies combine disciplined people, disciplined thinking, and disciplined action. But over time, I’ve probably been shaped even more by the leaders I’ve worked alongside during periods of rapid growth and transformation.

One mantra that has stayed with me is: “Clarity creates momentum.” In consulting—especially in healthcare and life sciences—our clients operate in incredibly complex environments. My role as a leader is to help simplify complexity, create alignment, and empower talented people to do their best work.

At Acumetis, we talk a lot about “reframing what’s possible.” That mindset applies internally as much as it does with clients. I want our teams to feel challenged, supported, and trusted to think bigger than traditional consulting models. The best ideas rarely come from hierarchy, but rather from creating an environment where smart people feel ownership and confidence to contribute.