Data firm chooses Derby for Midlands office
Data analytics company Aquila Insight has chosen Derby as the base for its newest UK office, citing the “buzz” around the city.
The firm, which was founded in Edinburgh in 2012 and also has an office in London, will be based at Sadler Bridge Studios.
The decision to open in the Midlands follows a successful year, with turnover doubling to £4.2m for 2015/16 and a growing portfolio of high profile clients including Sony, Tesco Bank and RBS. The firm employs 75 people nationally.
Chris Dobson, director of consultancy for Aquila Insight and formerly a global director with Sony Mobile, will head up the Derby office.
He said: “The office can accommodate seven people and we are planning to fill it in our first year in Derby.
“As a business we are hiring at pace of 12 analysts every quarter and Derby definitely has the potential to grow at the same speed as our other offices. The Midlands has a great talent pool of experienced analysts and we will be well placed to reach new clients from Manchester to Birmingham.
“We have been really impressed by Derby’s focus on bringing new industry to the city and investing in infrastructure to build a connected hub. Our office at Sadler Bridge Studios has one of the fastest internet speeds in the country so it’s a brilliant place to be based from a technical point of view. It’s also home to many innovative and creative businesses so it has a real buzz about the place.”
John Brodie and Warwick Beresford-Jones launched Aquila Insight in 2012.
Beresford-Jones said: “Big data is forecast to add over £241 billion to the economy by 2020 and the UK has the opportunity to be a world leader in big data and analytics. From the start we have focused on delivering a commercial advantage to all of our clients and have built a strong reputation in the industry. Big data has been much hyped in recent years but boards are now demanding real results.
“Ultimately, all organisations want to know what’s happening with their customers, what is going to change and what they need to do to be successful in future. We do that quickly and effectively, helping them to answer with accuracy that age-old business question: what three things should I be doing today to improve the business?”
