Dam Linh

The NERA environment in ten words or less.

Amiable. Collaborative. Supportive. Professional, yet with a hint of casual. 

On learning at work

One of the most exciting aspects about working at NERA is that our projects call for not only a rigorous approach and integrity, but also creativity. Our projects span numerous industries and countries; and each project requires a unique perspective and a unique approach. The opportunity to learn and problem-solve together with a team of smart, highly driven researchers, experienced consultants, and senior-level experts, who are in-house and readily available to provide guidance, is what makes working and learning at NERA very rewarding. 

On choosing economic consulting and NERA

As a junior in college, I searched for job opportunities at the intersection of academia and business. Economic consulting seemed to be a perfect fit. NERA stood out from other companies for two key reasons: the objectivity of NERA’s work product and the exposure that I would have as a new analyst to leading economists working in a variety of sectors. I interned at NERA a few summers ago and enjoyed working alongside the talented individuals here. I returned as a full-time researcher and continue to grow professionally at NERA today. 

On in-house training opportunities

Plentiful. Training at NERA starts with the comprehensive global orientation program for new staff and is followed by group-specific sessions on best practices and current topics. Whether it is Excel, SAS, STATA, VBA, Bloomberg, ArcGIS, or R (among others), NERA also offers numerous practical training workshops throughout the year. We have lots of opportunities to hone our communication, team management, and client relationship skills via our strong formal and informal mentorship programs. NERA works hard to make sure that everyone benefits from the expansive expertise of its professionals across departments. At NERA, knowledge is communal. 

On the most innovative experience I’ve had here

In the economic antitrust literature lives GUPPI. That is, the Gross Upward Pricing Pressure Index which may be used in practice as a diagnostic tool to examine unilateral competitive effects from a proposed merger. The idea is that a transaction may provide increased incentives for the merged company to raise the price(s) of its product(s). GUPPI offers one way to quantify such potential effects. In my first year at NERA, I had a chance to assist the NERA Antitrust team in New York City on a complex deal that not only utilized the GUPPI concept but also extended its screening application by considering multi-product dynamics and potential effects. Under the guidance of Dr. Timothy Watts and Dr. Ramsey Shehadeh, and through collaboration with another analyst, we successfully designed and implemented the augmented GUPPI approach. Ultimately, this innovative methodology provided the building blocks for advising the client, counsel representing the client, and an enforcement agency assigned to the case on the potential for unilateral concerns.

On my favorite part about work

The people, the projects, the creativity, and the integrity.