Employee Spotlight: Nick Renton
In Vrio, we value human capital above all else, it is our number one asset, and our people are our number one priority. The importance that we place on our people is paramount to our success as a customer centric business.
By creating a working environment that is flexible, dynamic, fun, supportive, progressive and rewarding, we understand that a happy team reflects very positively not only within the business but with our customers too.
Employee: Nick Renton
Current Role: Chief Operating Officer
Location: Vrio Spain, Murcia & Vrio UK, Northumberland
About Nick
Born in Edinburgh and brought up in the Scottish Borders on a livestock farm, Nick has developed a great fondness of the great outdoors, with a particular passion for hill walking, running and rugby.
When not working, Nick enjoys cooking, reading, exploring new parts of Spain and listening to music, in particular indie, rock and metal.
Nick has a nine-year-old Son, who also shares a passion for animals, the countryside and coast, particularly the Murcia coast in Spain where the water is “BOILING”, but then anything is comparatively boiling when compared to the North Sea.
Nick is also a big follower (these days) of rugby, having studied in Gloucestershire he stills follows the Cherry and Whites (Gloucester) and of course Scotland, which has been a “generally painful process over the last 30 years”.
Claim to fame:
“I don’t have many claims but these two probably stand out. The first one where I represented the South of Scotland at U17 Athletics in the 800m and won (Ok it was in Dumfries, but it felt like I had just won Olympic Gold), and the second is linked to my love of music where I met the legend that is Dave Grohl from the Foo Fighters”.
Life in Vrio….The early days
“Having started the UK office back in 2008 (in my Mum´s house), my early days were focused on building the business in the UK and Ireland.
I spent the first few years travelling the length and breadth of the country. In fact, my favourite trips were to Ireland where I would catch the boat from Stranraer to Belfast on a Sunday night or Monday morning and then spend the week knocking on doors all over the emerald isle.
In those days, I only had to make a couple of appointments to get the week started and then the Irish being the Irish would speak to their friends and each appointment would go from there, eventually landing back in Belfast for the last boat on a Friday afternoon, great days!”
Today in Vrio, Nick is the COO and responsible for Development. This role is focused on the development of products, partners, and markets.
“As an agile business Vrio has a strong focus on partner relations and continual improvement, where we focus on the constant evolution of our product and service to ensure our offer remains relevant in the market”.
What Nick says about Vrio
“I cannot believe that this all started nearly 15 years ago….no two days are ever the same, it has been an incredible journey up until now (sometimes a little bumpy) where I get to work with some amazing people, amazing partners and of course our customers that continue to push us forward, challenge us in ways that drive us to be better”.
“I am excited about the future of Vrio, we are still young as a business and have a lot of work to do to get the business where we want it to be over the next 5 years, but as we continue to develop our partnerships, enter new markets and complete the construction of our new HQ in Murcia, there is plenty to keep me more than busy”.
What Vrio says about Nick
“Nick (AKA Bertie) as we like to call him in the UK office was an integral part of setting up the UK & Irish business of Vrio. Having been in the sector for 20 years, Nick has a great understanding of our customers’ needs and the sector in general.
Nick is very much missed In the UK office as he has now relocated to the head office in sunny Spain where he has the role of Chief Operating Officer, he tells us that he has a lot of meetings which is why he doesn´t always pick up the phone ?
Nick has always been very supportive and encouraging to the entire UK team and is the go-to person for anything we need in the UK office, not just as a boss but also as a friend ?
Vrio would not be the same without Bertie (AKA Nick).”
Vrio UK Team
