Why it matters: The move brings a world-leading technology company into Ipswich town centre, potentially creating hundreds of graduate jobs for young people who want tech careers without relocating to London or other expensive cities, and providing a major boost to the town's economy.
The details: After 17 years with its global headquarters in Stowmarket, Halo will become the new custodians of the Norman Foster-designed Willis Building, which has housed the insurance firm since opening in 1975.
The company currently employs around 200 people across two Stowmarket offices and will retain a presence in the town, including the office with a slide, bar and pool table. It is expected the firm will employ over 1,000 people from its new Ipswich HQ.
Halo provides IT service management software to organisations worldwide, serving clients including Microsoft and Red Bull. The firm sponsors Ipswich Town, with its logo front and centre on the home kit.
What they're saying: "I see Halo as the next proud stewards of this historic building, and strongly believe we can be a driving force for positive change in Suffolk even more effectively from the heart of Ipswich," said Paul Hamilton, Halo's founder and chief executive.
On the company's hiring ambitions, Hamilton explained: "We are on track to be hiring over 400 graduates and young people a year by the end of 2030, and we will continue to grow sustainably on our mission – to prove that it's possible to be a market leader from outside Silicon Valley and Tier 1 cities."
He added: "Stowmarket is a town which has treated both the company and myself personally so well along the journey so far – from my mother-in-law's spare bedroom to now around 200 staff working between two Stowmarket offices."
Hamilton noted it would be "nice to be around the corner from ITFC" given the firm's sponsorship of the football club.
For context: The Willis Building is one of Suffolk's most significant pieces of modern architecture. Designed by Lord Norman Foster, whose later work includes The Gherkin in London and the main terminal at Stansted Airport, the all-glass structure was described by architect Zaha Hadid as "a timeless classic – a vision of what is possible".
The building features a distinctive yellow and green interior, a roof garden, and an indoor swimming pool which is no longer in use. Its unique design earned it Grade I listed status.
The bigger picture: The move positions Ipswich as an alternative to traditional tech hubs for graduates seeking technology careers. The average age of a Halo employee is 24.2, with many graduate trainees born and raised in Suffolk.
Hamilton has built Halo by deliberately avoiding major tech centres, focusing instead on proving that world-class technology companies can thrive in regional locations like Suffolk.
The company has pioneered 'The Halo Way' – a self-managed workplace culture that has seen revenue double annually for eight consecutive years.
What's next: Halo is believed to start moving this spring, taking over the building which has been occupied by the Willis insurance firm since opening in 1975. It is currently unclear what will happen to the current occupants.
Hamilton noted that half the team already live in Ipswich, within a 10-minute walk of the new location.
The bottom line: After building a global technology company from a spare bedroom in Stowmarket, Halo is bringing its ambitious graduate hiring plans to the heart of Ipswich – challenging the assumption that world-class tech careers require relocating to London or Silicon Valley.
