Corporate Strategy or In-house consulting?

I'd suggest the CEO office, assuming there's hope for also being groomed to take on a P&L role eventually. The problem with pure "Inhouse consulting" units is that they lack decision making power & clout, and are seen more as a cost center within a company, whereas a CEO office role typically carries prestige & hopefully a "path to P&L".

Hope this helps.

My instinct answer and personal bias is for Merck. The main reason is company size, global footprint and brand. That said things that can change my initial bias: role at which are you joining (the more junior the more I side with Merck), size of the team (the larger the team the more I side with Beiersdorf), your interest in international opportunities (the more interested the more I side with Merck).

I agree that internal consulting has clout and direct decision making power however that is a very important skill to learn (how to lead through influence) because that is how you will manage most things when you will be in a senior position.

hope it helps,

andrea