James Townsend (JT)
Co-founder & CEO
James (or JT), where are you from? I am originally from Ipswich but moved to London at the age of 21 and have been here ever since.
In 2018, I lived in the United States for two years to begin establishing Kontor's global presence. This subsequently led to us expanding our European side of the business quite drastically, and working with clients across multiple cities.
Describe your role in three words. Direction. Support. Decisions. Setting the objectives, pathway and responsibility. Proving guidance and experience and the success toolkit. Decision-making, removing ambiguity/hurdles to make sure people are successful, and clarity for people.
An office needs… Purpose and relevance.
An office is no longer a necessity but a choice; thus, it must be inviting to inspire the team.
Many clients have commented on this recently. Businesses are realising the benefits of investing in high-quality offices and amenity-rich workspaces, and I believe this trend will continue.
Favourite office space? The Kontor HQ, naturally!
I love having the team here, the design—everything about it.
Best thing about your role? Definitely, my team.
Working with the best in the business is incredibly inspiring and motivating. They challenge me daily, and I thrive on their ambition, ideas, creativity, and effort.
Top tip for any company considering a move? Be mindful of the cost and time an office move requires, especially when transitioning from a flexible solution to a leased space.
Like many things in life, it often takes longer than expected, so seek advice early in the process. Utilise our expertise; we are here to ensure you achieve the best outcome.
And finally, talk us through your weekend plans. Weekends are mostly spent on house-related activities, as we are currently renovating. We might have family visiting or take a short weekend break.
Outside of Kontor, my passion is racing cars, so there is plenty of competition involved!
What our clients say
"GoCardless have worked with the Kontor team on a number of projects including opening our offices in Paris, San Francisco and New York. Kontor feel like a member of the GoCardless team and is great at both understanding the needs of our business and consistently delivering a high level of service. I couldn't recommend Kontor enough."
Meghan Molony
GoCardless
James (or JT), where are you from? I am originally from Ipswich but moved to London at the age of 21 and have been here ever since.
In 2018, I lived in the United States for two years to begin establishing Kontor's global presence. This subsequently led to us expanding our European side of the business quite drastically, and working with clients across multiple cities.
Describe your role in three words. Direction. Support. Decisions. Setting the objectives, pathway and responsibility. Proving guidance and experience and the success toolkit. Decision-making, removing ambiguity/hurdles to make sure people are successful, and clarity for people.
An office needs… Purpose and relevance.
An office is no longer a necessity but a choice; thus, it must be inviting to inspire the team.
Many clients have commented on this recently. Businesses are realising the benefits of investing in high-quality offices and amenity-rich workspaces, and I believe this trend will continue.
Favourite office space? The Kontor HQ, naturally!
I love having the team here, the design—everything about it.
Best thing about your role? Definitely, my team.
Working with the best in the business is incredibly inspiring and motivating. They challenge me daily, and I thrive on their ambition, ideas, creativity, and effort.
Top tip for any company considering a move? Be mindful of the cost and time an office move requires, especially when transitioning from a flexible solution to a leased space.
Like many things in life, it often takes longer than expected, so seek advice early in the process. Utilise our expertise; we are here to ensure you achieve the best outcome.
And finally, talk us through your weekend plans. Weekends are mostly spent on house-related activities, as we are currently renovating. We might have family visiting or take a short weekend break.
Outside of Kontor, my passion is racing cars, so there is plenty of competition involved!
