'Iconic' Willis Building to become Halo's global HQ

A technology company that sponsors Ipswich Town FC is to take over one of the most "revolutionary" office buildings in Suffolk.

Stowmarket-based Halo is to move its global HQ to the Willis Building in Ipswich, which has been occupied by the insurance firm since opening in 1975.

The Grade I listed glass building was designed by Lord Norman Foster, the renowned architect whose later designs include The Gherkin in London and the main terminal at Stansted Airport in Essex.

Halo founder Paul Hamilton said the move would help the firm achieve its aim to employ 800 graduates by 2030, "creating something very special in Suffolk".

"I think there is a whole ecosystem around Halo [and] as we do position ourselves as Europe's number one agentic AI software platform... other technology companies will also gravitate towards Suffolk," he added.

Agentic AI is an artificial intelligence system that can accomplish a specific goal with limited supervision.

Hamilton said: "In terms of being able to provide one of the most progressive employment opportunities in the world for the young people in Suffolk, it's such a privilege.

"We deliberately, intentionally, stay out of Silicon Valley, Miami, New York, London, Singapore - all these places where we are told by conventional business people we should have offices."

Hamilton founded Halo in his mother-in-law's spare room and currently employs about 200 people in two Stowmarket offices.

It was initially Ipswich Town's shirt sleeve sponsor from 2023, but now has its logo on front and centre on the home kit.

"Ipswich is the natural choice. Half our team live in Ipswich, within a 10-minute walk of our new location," he said, explaining the move, which will begin this spring.

It will continue to have an office in Stowmarket - keeping the one with a slide, bar and pool table.

"Why the Willis Building? It's iconic - we had a look around many buildings, and there was just something different and we thought we could see ourselves here for the rest of our years.

The Willis Building celebrated its half century in 2025, and Hamilton said he could "see that this will be Halo's home for the next 50 years".

The all-glass exterior building in Ipswich was opened with a roof garden and an indoor swimming pool, which is still there but is not in use.

It was described by another world-renowned architect Zaha Hadid as "a timeless classic - a vision of what is possible".

Hamilton said the average age of a Halo employee was 24.2 and many of its graduate trainees are Suffolk born and bred.

Bethan Manning, 24, from Mildenhall, joined a couple of months ago.

"I fully expected that to land a graduate role like this, I'd be moving to London or another big city," she said.

As well as saving her the expense of big city rents and travel costs, she said she could benefit from living at home after years of independent living at university.

"We won't have to move away from friends and family - you can have it all on your doorstep, which is great," she said.

Dan Sheridan was born in Ipswich and the 21-year-old recently graduated from the University of Nottingham.

"It's my first experience of a proper workplace; the culture is great; you walk in and it's just full of grads - and my boss is 25," he said.

"You really feel like you're getting invested in and the fact that I don't have to move away, I can stay local.

"I'm really proud of the move [to the new building] - it's going to be great being near the football ground as well; it's a big statement and it commits our long-term future to Ipswich."

Alice Davis, 23, worked at Ipswich Hospital before hearing about Halo through the Ipswich Town shirts and applying for a job.

The economics graduate said: "I love Suffolk and I wouldn't want to live anywhere else - I love that we've got beautiful estuaries here, and I love the countryside.

"What's really exciting is that the tech hub is expanding beyond Cambridge."

Jack Abbott, Labour MP for Ipswich, said the move was "massive" for the town.

"The City of Culture bid isn't just about putting on a few more gigs and productions and events in 2029," he said.

"As fantastic as that would be, it is also about our economic rejuvenation.

"Bringing more people into town will mean increased footfall, more money to spend in our local shops, restaurants, bars and pubs - so this is a real statement of intent."

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