by Evolving the Insights Team: The Future of Strategic Consumer Insights
MRMW EU interview with Natasa Jovanovic, Head of Strategy & Insights, Scandinavian Tobacco Group
MRMW: What motivates you to join the MRMW EU conference, and what is the core message of your talk?
Natasa: MRMW EU prompted me to reflect on the future of consumer insights—both as a function and in terms of the value we bring to our companies and teams. A key question that emerged for me is: How will the insights department evolve in the near future? Now is the time to reassess our work and better understand the expectations tied to our roles.
Perhaps it’s also time to consider whether every company should establish a Chief Insights Officer—a role dedicated to ensuring a deep understanding of the context in which the business operates, and to identifying and addressing challenges and opportunities that drive growth.
MRMW: How has this impacted your own work and your organisation?
Natasa: Working in the tobacco industry, where challenges arise more frequently than in many other sectors, we have recognized the critical need to stay alert and continuously monitor our operating context.
This has required us to adopt new ways of working—often faster than other FMCG companies—to reduce effort and accelerate speed to market.
However, this agility is difficult to maintain when the insights function is distant from the executive level, where key decisions are being made.
If we’re not close to the decision-making table, choices will be made based solely on the data at hand—without the voice of the consumer being truly heard or considered.
MRMW: How has market research and insight as a practice evolved in the last couple of years, and how would you like to see it evolve in the next few?
Natasa: Over the past few years, market research and insights have undergone a significant transformation. The shift has been driven by several factors such as acceleration of digital data, integration of different technologies and increasing agility and speed to action. The rise of digital platforms has helped expend the volume and variety of insights available and enable more real-time insights. AI and machine-learning have helped streamlining data analysis allowing us to focus more on interpretation and strategic impact.
This helped the cross-functional collaboration as we got closer to other functions, beyond just marketing and commercial.
However, it all remains around tools and speed, less about connecting insights across other departments and elevating those to the executive level.
MRMW: Given this evolution, what are two expected and two less obvious skills market researchers should possess, and why?
Natasa: Data fluency and analytics remain core skills that insights should excel in. The ability to interpret complex data sets and apply predictive modelling will be crucial. Along with this, consumer and market insights should never be interpreted in isolation of other data coming through the business and it will be crucial to learn how to derive holistic picture out of knowledge ahead of us.
Needless to say, data visualization and AI & machine learning literacy will become basics in our everyday work.
Most importantly, we will need to elevate the function from pure consumer and market insights to strategic insights that will be able to anticipate business future and market shifts better, translate insights into strategic recommendations that align with company goals and influence management by building credibility and driving action across the function.
MRMW: Apart from work, what can delegates at the event talk to you about? Do you have any particular personal interests, hobbies or extracurricular activities and engagements?
Natasa: I am one of the marketers who has a very diverse background. Apart from insights and marketing/commercial strategy, delegates can reach out to me if they have an interest in mechanical engineering, especially thermodynamics. It is one of the Masters I hold, but it is right now more of a hobby. Next to that, I travel a lot, and I am always happy to exchange experiences from many countries I have visited.
MRMW: Last but not least, we are publishing “reading/listening guides” on our blog. Can you share your favourite recommendations for inspiration, learning and leadership:
Natasa: 2 books I would recommend are: 1. What they don’t teach you at Harvard Business School, by Mark H. McCormack, and 2. The Culture Map, by Erin Meyer
MRMW: Thank you so much, Natasa. We look forward to learning more from you at MRMW EU 2025!
📍MRMW Europe Returns This Autumn!
Looking forward to Natasa Jovanovic’s take on the future of strategic consumer insights? 🎤 You’re not alone. At MRMW EU 2025 (Nov 6–7, Berlin), you’ll hear from leaders at Google, Scandinavian Tobacco Group, Samsung, eBay, EDP and more—sharing real-world case studies, fresh research trends, and the strategies shaping tomorrow’s market insights.
Join us for live discussions, cutting-edge case studies, round tables and interactive networking sessions. The unique MRMW concept provides the perfect balance between personal development, networking and doing business.
Reserve your seat now to connect with industry leaders and shape the future of insights.
