Newcastle offers the opportunity to build an ambitious career without compromising on quality of life. Our new talent attraction campaign is bringing together the experiences of people who have chosen to relocate or return to Newcastle, sharing what brought them here, how the move has shaped their careers and what keeps them here.
For our first Why Newcastle? Q&A, we spoke to James Beard, CEO of Neptune North, who relocated from London in 2005 and has since built his career in the North East. James has helped to grow businesses including Sage and tombola before building Neptune North from Newcastle.
Neptune North is a joint venture between Oliver Wyman, a global leader in management consulting and part of the NYSE-listed Marsh, and Rokos Capital Management, a global alternative investment fund manager. Both partners saw the opportunity to fill a critical gap in the technology services market, by creating a new technical consultancy, which became Neptune North.
In this Q&A, James shares why Newcastle became home, the impact the move has had on his career, and his advice for anyone considering making the move.
Why did you move to Newcastle?
My wife is from the North East, so if I’m honest, Newcastle was always going to be home eventually, it just took me a while to catch up. When the time came, the decision wasn’t difficult. We wanted a better quality of life without the compromises London demands, and Newcastle delivered on every count.
The space to raise a family was hugely appealing and the beautiful countryside right on the doorstep sealed it. It also turned out to be the perfect base from which to build Neptune North.
What do you love about living in Newcastle?
The first thing you notice is how much more you can fit into a day. Less time commuting, more time living – it sounds simple, but it changes everything. The people are genuinely friendly and the city feels safe in a way that larger cities often don’t. Housing is affordable in a way that London simply can’t offer anymore, and you can access everything you need – good schools, good food, good everything – without a fight to get it.
For me personally, the fact that I can be on a clay tennis court ten minutes after leaving my desk at Neptune North in the city centre is a dream come true. But it’s not just me, I see it across the Neptune North team every day. Colleagues who relocated here are happily putting down roots, and seeing that happen has been one of the most rewarding parts of building the business here.
“The first thing you notice about moving to Newcastle is how much more you can fit into a day. Less time commuting, more time living – it sounds simple, but it changes everything.”
What has been the impact on your career and life since moving to Newcastle?
Leaving Goldman Sachs in London and relocating here turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve made. I built my career in Newcastle and have proudly helped grow local and international businesses like Sage Pay, tombola and now Neptune North, from the North East ever since.
We have built a team at Neptune North full of people who made the same bet on the region that I did. Watching colleagues settle in, buy houses and start families here has been incredible and it reinforces every day that this is a genuinely great place to build an ambitious, internationally connected business.
What advice would you give others that are looking to move to Newcastle?Â
Come up, meet some people, have a look around – you won’t want to leave. And if you’re on the fence, talk to someone who has already made the move. Every single one of them will tell you the same thing.
To learn more about moving to Newcastle, download our Talent Relocation guide, which details everything you need to know, from key sectors and companies in the city to the best neighbourhoods, schools and restaurants to visit.
