Originally from Jūrmala in Latvia, Jānis Jēkabsons moved to the Island in 2011 in search of a more tranquil environment to further his Computer Science studies. The island has since offered Jānis many exciting opportunities to make use of his IT skillset, something he claims might never have happened in his home country.

“As is the case for many IT professionals relocating to the island, I found it quite easy to get a work permit here. In my first developer role, I travelled extensively around Europe and North America, delivering demonstrations of gaming technology. If I hadn’t come to the Isle of Man, I’m not sure that I would have ever been offered such an incredible opportunity.”

Jānis first discovered the Isle of Man when he visited a friend on a short trip. After experiencing just a few days of island life, he contacted UCM to discuss study options and made the decision to relocate.

“The Island offered exactly what I was looking for: a chance to get away from the hectic, overcrowded city life whilst still enjoying the advantages of a fast growing and progressive environment.”

Having held various tech roles over the last few years, Jānis is now working for the Capital International Group. The financial services provider is currently focused on digital transformation ahead of launching the island’s first ever digital bank in 2020.

“There’s a lot to learn at Capital, but it’s great to have such a supportive team who are open to new ideas and always willing to share their knowledge with me. With a huge project like the new bank underway, it’s an exciting and fast paced environment to work in and the team have to be very adaptive.”

Eager to expand his knowledge and meet like-minded people, Jānis has enjoyed being part of the island’s growing tech and IT scene, including code-club and Google Developer Group events.

“I find the island is very open to new initiatives. Businesses here are driven by technology and innovation and are keen to test and adopt new tech.”

Outside of his career, Jānis strives to be as active as he can, spending a lot of his free time in the great outdoors.

“The island’s fresh clean air and beautiful landscapes provide lots of places to wander and escape. It’s great to see so many people out and about making the most of the incredible nature on their doorstep.”

With spending so much time outdoors, it wasn’t long before Jānis discovered the island’s thriving cycling scene.

“Despite what the locals might say, the road quality here is good; I’ve only had a few punctures and it’s amazing to be able to meet big names and pros out on the road.”

Relocating has provided Jānis with the tranquility he was searching for without having to sacrifice the advancement of his career. Settling in to island life has seemingly not proved too challenging either.

“I’ve found it very easy to integrate into the Manx community. People here are friendly and the population is a lot more diverse than I expected. The team at Capital have really helped me to settle too. There’s a busy social calendar and I’ve made lots of new friends in my own department and in other areas of the business. I’m now eagerly awaiting the warmer months to get back out on my bike!”

Disclaimer: The views thoughts and opinions expressed within this article are those of the author, and not those of any company within the Capital International Group (CIG) and as such are neither given nor endorsed by CIG. Information in this article does not constitute investment advice or an offer or an invitation by or on behalf of any company within the Capital International Group of companies to buy or sell any product or security.

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