Awarded to the newcomer (with up to three years of experience in business intelligence) who performs best in a series of individual challenges during a competition day.
You’ll take on a range of exercises based on market research and analytics for a fictional product launch scenario. The day is fast-paced, challenging and rewarding, offering a unique opportunity to learn, connect and showcase your potential.
Apply early to avoid disappointment. Places are strictly limited and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis (subject to eligibility and entry criteria) to ensure every participant gets the most from the experience.
Competition Day: Friday 20 March 2026
Venue: Lumanity, Great Suffolk Yard, 131 Great Suffolk Street, London SE1 1PP
Backup date: Friday 28 March 2026 (in case of disruption such as strikes)
Why enter?
- Demonstrate your core strengths and abilities, regardless of your role or experience level.
- Take part in a developmental experience. You’ll encounter new and familiar tasks, with detailed feedback provided on each.
- Meet and connect with other entrants and judges, and enjoy a relaxed networking session with drinks at the end of the day.
- A chance to win the coveted trophy and a cash prize of £250.
- Access a special Gala Dinner-only ticket option for the BOBI Awards Ceremony.
- Earn 4 MRS CPD hours.
Eligibility
- You must have no more than three years of total experience in business intelligence, analytics, market research or fieldwork roles (including non-healthcare roles) as of 31st December 2025.
- You must have no more than five years of total experience in healthcare as of 31st December 2025.
- Initially, places are limited to one participant per member organisation. A second individual from the same organisation may apply and will be placed on a waiting list in case space becomes available. Full BHBIA member companies will receive priority.
- Please see Entry Guidelines for more information on eligibility.
Before entering
Please discuss your application with your line manager and secure their approval. Managers are encouraged to coordinate entries where several individuals from the same organisation may wish to apply, for example, giving priority to someone nearing the experience limit who may not have another opportunity to participate. Please see Entry Guidelines for more information on multiple entrants from the same company.
What happens next?
Please mark the competition day in your calendar. After the entry deadline, we will contact you to confirm your place and share full details of the day.
Enter now
Terms and conditions apply.
Learn more about the competition
Hear from previous entrants and see highlights from last year's competition.
Entry Criteria
To be eligible, you must have less than three years’ total experience in business insights roles, and less than five years’ total experience in healthcare as of 31 December in the year before the competition.
If you are unsure whether you meet the criteria, please contact admin@bhbia.org.uk or submit an entry form including the dates and primary responsibilities of your previous roles. Each application will be reviewed individually to ensure fairness, and we will discuss your eligibility with you if clarification is needed. The BHBIA’s decision is final.
To help you assess your eligibility, the following examples may be useful:
The examples below may help you:
- Example 1: An entrant spent a year as a trainee researcher before being seconded to a healthcare communications role with another company. They returned to the market research agency and have been a research executive for 1.5 years. Status: Eligible. The communications role does not count, giving 2.5 years in business insights and 3.5 years in healthcare.
- Example 2: An entrant worked in pharma field sales for two years. They then spent one year in marketing and 2.5 years as a Research Executive. Status: Not eligible. Sales and marketing roles do not count towards business insights, but total healthcare experience exceeds five years.
- Example 3: An entrant spent three years working in business information/analytics in the automotive sector before moving to a healthcare analytics agency, where they have worked as an analyst for a year. Status: More information required. Business insights experience appears over three years, but the first role may not be comparable to healthcare BI. We would contact the entrant to assess relevance.
Allocation of Places
A maximum of two places per member organisation* applies, subject to availability.
If the competition is over-subscribed, the first eligible applicant from an organisation will be allocated a place. A second eligible applicant will be placed on a waiting list and may be offered a place if space becomes available.
Entrants from full BHBIA member organisations* will be prioritised if the competition is over-subscribed.
* A member organisation includes corporate members, affiliate members and corporate certified non-members of the BHBIA. If a company holds multiple BHBIA memberships, each is treated as a separate organisation for the purposes of entry allocation.
If I apply and am eligible, will I definitely get a place?
No, being eligible does not guarantee a spot in the competition. Places are limited and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. If the number of eligible entries exceeds the competition's capacity, a waiting list will be created. If any further spaces become available, the organisers will allocate them based on when applications were received and whether another entrant from the same organisation has already secured a place. The organisers may also consider entrants' length of experience to ensure that applicants with close to three/five years' experience can participate. Each organisation can have a maximum of two participants. If two people from the same member organisation enter and the number of eligible entrants exceeds the event’s capacity, only the first applicant will initially be allocated a place. The second person will be added to the waiting list.
I work in an agency and I’ve heard that some of the tasks are based on areas of work that are more relevant to clients. Will this disadvantage me?
No, working in an agency won’t put you at a disadvantage. The range of tasks is carefully designed to ensure a level playing field for agency and client-side participants. While some exercises cover ground that may be more familiar to those on the client side, this is balanced by other tasks in areas that may be more familiar to agency people.
I work in sales analytics and am concerned that the exercises may focus on market research. Will I still be able to make a meaningful contribution?
Yes, you’ll still be able to make a meaningful contribution. The exercises are designed to be inclusive of various business insights roles, including sales analytics. They don’t require specialised knowledge in any one area as we recognise that people's job roles vary greatly. Sometimes, you may have a choice of an analytics or market research-focused version of the task. Everyone is likely to find some tasks play to their strengths, while others are more challenging. Whilst different people find different elements harder, they tend to even out throughout the day.
I work in a fieldwork company so I don't have much exposure to the whole business intelligence spectrum. Will I still be able to compete?
Yes. The exercises are planned so applicants in all types of business insights roles can participate. They do not rely on specific knowledge or experience, as we recognise that people's job roles vary greatly. Everyone is likely to find some tasks play to their strengths, while others are more challenging. Different people find different elements harder but it tends to even out across the whole day.
Do I have to be in a UK business insights role?
You do not have to be based in the UK but your role should impact UK business. If there is a Global/European element to the role, it is OK as long as your role involves significant UK work.
I have previously worked in a fieldwork company, managing logistics, e.g. recruitment and sampling. Does this count towards the three years of experience in business insights?
Yes, it does. The BHBIA recognises fieldwork as an integral part of the market research process, and as such, it counts towards your total business insights experience. So, you won't be eligible if your total time in business insights, including the time spent in fieldwork roles, is more than three years.
I will be on holiday on the day the competition takes place. Can I still apply?
Sorry, no. You must be available on that date.
I am about to move into a new role outside business insights. Can I still apply?
Sorry, no. You must still be working in a business insights role on the day of the competition.
Can I apply if I have taken part in the Best Newcomer in previous years?
Sorry, no. You can only take part in this event once. We would encourage you to consider entering other BOBI award categories instead.
I am no longer able to make the competition day. Can I give my place to a colleague?
No, you cannot automatically transfer your place to a colleague if you can no longer attend. Instead, please notify the organisers as soon as possible. If a spot opens due to a dropout, the organisers will reallocate it based on the waiting list. They’ll consider factors like when applications were received and whether a company already has a confirmed entrant. While your company doesn’t automatically have the right to send a substitute, the organisers may offer this option at their discretion, depending on the existing waiting list.
Do I need to prepare anything in advance of the day and how much time will this take?
We will keep entrants fully informed of any preparation requirements in the run-up to the competition. There may be a short task to complete in advance.
Will I be ‘put on the spot’ in front of colleagues, clients or suppliers?
No, you won't be "put on the spot" in front of your colleagues, clients or suppliers. The competition consists of individual exercises, meaning you will only present your work to one or two judges at a time. Other entrants will not be privy to your performance in any of the tasks.
Can I catch up on my work during the day?
We strongly suggest that you don’t come with any expectations of getting any other work done. It will be an intense day and you will probably want to take advantage of the opportunity to relax over lunch and network with colleagues from across the industry.
Will I get feedback on my performance?
Yes, the judges will record their comments and scores for each task and you will get detailed personal feedback to help with your development.
Will I find out if I have a good chance of winning as it may help persuade my manager to allow me to attend the Conference and BOBI Awards Ceremony?
We won’t be revealing who the winner might be until the Awards Ceremony. We understand that securing approval to attend the Conference can be challenging, especially since participants typically need to attend at least one day to join the Awards. To help with this, we’ve introduced a ticket option for the Best Newcomer Awards: a ‘dinner only’ ticket, which can be purchased with or without accommodation. This option aims to ensure that more entrants can attend the awards ceremony, maximising the chances of the winner being there to accept their award.
What if I come bottom? I don’t think I want to risk being the one to win the ‘wooden spoon’
Only the winner and runners-up will be publicly announced and no rankings beyond that will be disclosed.
I'm not sure if I am eligible. Please can I get advice on this before entering?
Yes, please email the admin team at admin@bhbia.org.uk with your query and one of the team will contact you.