Being the new guy can be hard, but as I’m learning to say: Roar at challenge! 

Founding the UK arm of the growing Zure global team was not in our heads when Sakari and I first talked about his plans to grow Zure, but it wasn’t long before we both began to focus on the possibility of doing just that. We’ve known each other for many years now, having met as MVPs in the early days of Azure, and then regularly meeting at conferences around the world, and working together just sounded… fun! 

Our first conversations were about me joining Zure as an employee, but the more we talked the more I saw founding a new company as both an exciting challenge and the natural next step in my own career. At the same time, Sakari was clear that he felt every new Zure country should have more than one founder, and something clicked in my head. I’ve known Riccardo Viglianisi for many years, and it was almost a reflex to ask him. There have been a few people throughout my career that I am pleased to have called ‘friend’ as well as ‘colleague’ and I know that together we can do great things. 

Zure values its people and those people value each other. That’s a great way to build and run an organisation and it aligns with my own feelings. Throughout our meetings as we discussed the creation of Zure in the UK, the founders of Belgium and Denmark were welcoming and supportive: They asked probing questions that helped us decide what the UK organisation would look like; and they gave great advice based on their own experiences as the first ones through the door of their own companies. 

Our first contact with the wider Zure community was also a bit different. As we went around the room with introductions, I learned that there are enough musicians in the organisation to form more than one band. Everyone talked about their passions outside of the organisation, as well as their responsibilities within it. The feeling of camaraderie was enticing. 

As a result, we decided to establish Zure UK. The paint’s not dry yet and we’re still moving furniture, but we have the backing of Zure Group from Finland, Denmark, and Belgium, giving us the capability of delivering meaningful solutions from day 1. That feels nice. The local time in UK will grow in January, when Riccardo joins us. As I write this, I’m on day two of my new life as co-founder and CEO in the UK and already I feel like part of the family as I learn about all the great people across Zure. 

We’re trying hard to bring the Zure culture to the UK even as we mix it with a bit of ourselves. We chose our office space in York because of its strong sense of individuality, and I love that we are surrounded by history and character: York is also known for its Roman and Viking roots, and that connection to both Europe and the Nordics is not lost on us.  

At Zure UK we are also passionate about the wider industry and community of which we are part. We will do our best to support user groups and events as I have done for a long time, and we will encourage those who join our team to help make out industry better. If you see us around (we’re almost certain to be wearing some of the great Zure gear!) come and say hi! I know that I would love to hear your stories and your challenges, and share more about the great Zure journey I now find myself on! 

More information

• Zure Group’s announcement post
• LinkedIn: Rik Hepworth
• For more on how we are doing, see Zure 2024