Life science consulting for chemicals, pharmaceuticals and life sciences
The life sciences and chemicals industry is under great pressure to change. Companies need to shorten innovation cycles, fulfil regulatory requirements, secure supply chains and adapt their portfolios to new market conditions. At the same time, investments in research, production, digitalisation and sustainability remain capital-intensive.
The chemical-pharmaceutical industry continues to be one of the most important economic sectors in Germany: according to the VCI, the industry generated sales of around 240 billion euros in 2024 and employed more than 560,000 people in Germany. This gives management a clear task: growth, resilience and performance must be considered together.
For us, life science consulting means supporting companies from the pharmaceutical, chemical, medical technology, biotechnology and other areas of the life sciences in strategic, transaction-related and operational decisions. As a management consultancy, we support you in evaluating market opportunities, developing business strategies and effectively implementing change programmes.
Make the Difference: Consulting for markets in transition
Life sciences, life sciences and chemistry are particularly affected by technological, regulatory and geopolitical developments. New forms of therapy, data-based research approaches, cost and margin pressure, changing customer needs and requirements for sustainability and product safety are shaping the agenda.
The KPMG 2025 Global Life Sciences CEO Outlook shows that life sciences CEOs worldwide rate innovation, technological development, operational efficiency, M&A activities and investments in AI and digitalisation in particular as key growth drivers. These topics are also reflected in our consulting practice: strategic decisions need to be made more quickly today without losing technical depth.
Our experts combine industry knowledge with deal advisory experience, performance and strategy consulting as well as functional expertise in areas such as operations, finance, tax, ESG, cyber security and digitalisation. This results in solutions that are not only conceptually viable, but also effective in terms of organisation, processes and systems. As a management consultancy for life sciences and chemistry, we consistently focus on business strategies that combine growth, resilience and control capability.
Strategic orientation for life sciences and chemistry
Companies in life sciences, life sciences and chemistry need to regularly review their positioning. Which markets offer sustainable growth? Which products or business areas still fit the portfolio in the future? Which investments will strengthen research, production and market access?
We support you in the development and evaluation of business strategies for existing and new markets. This includes market and competition analyses, portfolio reviews, commercial due diligence, target operating models and value creation concepts. A clear view of regulation, price pressure, security of supply and local competitive structures is essential, especially for international market activities.
For the pharmaceutical industry, the focus is often on pipeline, market access, reimbursement systems and scaling. In chemical consulting, the focus is more on location issues, energy and raw material costs, speciality chemical portfolios, capacity management and industrial value creation. In both segments, business strategies only have an impact when they are translated into concrete programmes.
Deal Advisory: Transactions with an industry focus
M&A, carve-outs, joint ventures and strategic partnerships remain important instruments for accelerating growth, specialisation and transformation. However, transactions in the life sciences, pharmaceutical and chemical industries are particularly complex. Product portfolios, IP rights, regulatory approvals, production facilities, supply contracts and sustainability requirements must be carefully evaluated.
Our deal advisory experts will support you throughout the entire transaction process. We support you with due diligence, company valuation, purchase price considerations, carve-out concepts, integration planning and post-closing performance programmes. We bring sector-specific experience to the table to ensure that opportunities and risks are not only classified financially, but also in operational and regulatory terms.
A life science consultant must understand the language of research, production, commercialisation and the capital market in equal measure. This is precisely where our management consultancy comes in, especially when business strategies are translated into transactions, integration programmes or portfolio decisions.
Managing performance and transformation effectively
Many companies in the pharmaceutical, chemical and other life sciences industries are realigning their business models, modernising their production networks or improving their cost structures. At the same time, the requirements for data quality, transparency and control capability are increasing. Digitalisation and AI are opening up new opportunities, for example in research, supply chain, quality management, sales or finance.
We support you in setting up performance programmes, harmonising processes and further developing control models. This includes efficiency programmes, working capital optimisation, purchasing and supply chain strategies, location assessments and the further development of finance and reporting structures.
The digital transformation is particularly important. Data-based decisions, automated processes and secure IT architectures are becoming a competitive factor. For the life sciences, pharmaceutical and chemical industries, digitalisation must be considered together with compliance, cyber security, quality assurance and regulatory requirements.
Sustainability, resilience and regulatory requirements
Sustainability has long been part of strategic management in the industry. Chemical companies are looking at decarbonisation, the circular economy, energy efficiency and sustainable raw materials. Companies in the pharmaceutical industry and life sciences are also faced with issues relating to access, security of supply, supply chain responsibility and product life cycles.
We support you in the classification of regulatory requirements, the development of robust ESG programmes and the integration of sustainability into business strategies, transactions and operational management. This also includes the question of how ESG aspects are anchored in due diligence, investment decisions, reporting and risk management.
In volatile markets in particular, resilience is becoming a management issue. Those who manage supply chains, production networks, critical dependencies and capital commitment transparently can react more quickly to market changes.
Our contribution to your management
We support companies from the life sciences, life sciences, pharmaceutical and chemical industries with an integrated consulting approach. Our services range from strategy and portfolio issues to transactions and performance and transformation programmes.
We work with you on the topics that are really relevant to your company: Growth, margins, capital allocation, operational efficiency, regulatory security, digital maturity and sustainable value creation. Our aim as a management consultancy is to combine technical depth with actionable advice and to shape business strategies in such a way that they become effective in the organisation.
Ready for a chat? Get in touch with us. KPMG. Make the Difference.
