Silicon Valley founded company chooses Newcastle over London for mega European office

Newcastle is set for a huge employment boost as a new global leader in security operations moves into the city.

Arctic Wolf, a company founded in the hubbub of Silicon Valley and now operating from Minnesota, will open its Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) headquarters in Newcastle.

The expansion follows a period of rapid growth for the business.

The city centre headquarters are set to bring hundreds of jobs to the city over the next three years and bosses hope to tap into the region's technology talent.

To meet the accelerating demand the business is seeing for cloud-native security operations across the UK and Europe, Arctic Wolf will begin initially hiring 30 new roles for the office, set to open in 2022 in line with local Covid-19 guidelines.

Arctic Wolf has worked alongside Invest Newcastle, part of the NewcastleGateshead Initiative, to secure the move to the region.

Newcastle being named as one of the UK's 12 tech hotspots and taking the accolade of the UK's smartest city in the Smart City Global Index helped lure the company to the city.

Jen Hartley, Director of Invest Newcastle, NewcastleGateshead Initiative, said: “Arctic Wolf’s decision to establish its EMEA headquarters in Newcastle over the capital, is testament to the growing appeal of the North East as a talent hotspot for leading technology companies and our thriving business community.

"As recent government figures show, Newcastle has one of the fastest-growing tech sectors in the UK, so it’s fantastic to see one of the world’s leading cybersecurity companies choose our region as its primary base in the UK and EMEA.

“We've loved working with the team at Arctic Wolf on their decision to choose the city and we're looking forward to working with them further as they grow their exciting business, continue to create jobs and ultimately thrive here in the heart of Newcastle.”

Clare Loveridge, Arctic Wolf’s Vice President & General Manager EMEA, commented: “The UK economy is rebounding from the impact of the pandemic, and central to that growth are the technology and security requirements that businesses must implement to support hybrid operations.

"With less of a need for workers to be based in London, the North East has quickly established itself as a new hub for leading technology firms looking to set up shop outside of the capital.”

Clare revealed that she grew up in Newcastle, although has spent much of her career in the South.

She added: "When I returned to the North East five years ago, I could see first-hand the fantastic pool of talent that is growing in the region.

"I am incredibly excited and proud to be establishing Arctic Wolf’s European operations in Newcastle, a city that I believe will bring undoubted long-term recruitment benefits to the company’s next phase of growth in EMEA.

“The cultural fit between the people here and my colleagues at Arctic Wolf is very compelling.

"I use terms like loyal, hard-working and friendly to describe both, so how could I not grasp the opportunity to bring this company, with this culture, into this city?”

Arctic Wolf's arrival also comes with the backing of Newcastle City Council's Nick Forbes.

Mr Forbes said he was 'delighted' to welcome the company to the city and praised their strategic choice of coming to Newcastle over London.

He said: "The strategic choice of Newcastle over London is testament to not only our tech and digital strengths, but also to our strong business networks and unique culture that makes us an attractive destination to live, work and invest.

“The Invest Newcastle team have done an excellent job in securing this move, and I know they will continue to support the next phase of growth for the company, and ensuring Arctic Wolf are embedded into the DNA of our city.

“Arctic Wolf will be a real asset to Newcastle, creating jobs, growing talent and adding to our vibrant digital eco-systems that are recognised worldwide.”