PEOPLE WITH A PASSION: JIM FORREST

Jim Forrest at Republikken - People with Passion

16th January 2019

Tell us about your work

I’m a digital strategist representing a major app design and development studio of 250 people based in Silicon Valley East, U.S.A.. We have offices in Boston, New York, Chicago and Houston, and now a satellite in Copenhagen!

My day-to-day work involves digital strategy projects for large corporations; I work around three days a week in Copenhagen and two days internationally with my clients.

A collision of events brought me to Copenhagen – my company was acquired by Accenture on the same day that my wife was offered a job working for the University of Copenhagen.

Immediately I found myself part of a global network with the ability to work from anywhere, so after many sleepless nights of deliberating we came here leaving behind a fantastic studio where we cultivated an amazing culture and work environment.

This made me really want to find somewhere with the right vibe in Copenhagen, rather than fit into a larger office on my own in Accenture.

Since a lot of my work involves observation and analysis regarding digital projects and ideas I have been very influenced by the diverse opinions of people here at Republikken. As they come from different fields with diverse perspectives, their thoughts really influence my work.

“I’m especially interested in how tech and music interact. That’s what excites me most.”

What’s your passion?

Design and strategy has always paid the bills but alongside that I’m also a music producer with a background in creating work connected to art installations. I’m especially interested in how tech and music interact – that’s what excites me most. I love nerdy music projects that react to real life events, data and change.

In 2011 after leaving my long time band Machine 475 I made a solo album that was well received, and it got me interested in creating my own music, rather than performing with my seven-piece band. I have since worked on a lot of visual music that has featured in films and ads for the likes of Spotify and Microsoft and many podcasts.

I felt there was a sea change coming in my music before my kids were born, two years ago, where I wanted to rethink how I was doing music and why. My new album “Gamma” will be out January 31, best described as downtempo ambient music mixed with synthwave, and it’s a snapshot of my life, living here in Copenhagen.The official release party will be here at Republikken on January 31, 2019 and is free and open to the public.

What do you like most about Republikken?

If you’re around the same mentality all the time, you create the same things. None of us at Republikken are doing the same things. It’s super fun that there are people from all different backgrounds here, from all different disciplines. When we all sit down at lunch with the amazing food from Smag og Rum, those conversations are diverse, interesting, and never repeat themselves.

The space is also wonderfully cozy and inviting. As opposed to places like WeWork, Republikken is a family and has been built and designed with the stories of those who founded it and keep it running. The playlists are dope because Ivan is a music fanatic and has a really interesting lens into music, The maker space has an incredible laser cutter where Emil the founder will certify you and help you make wildly inventive art, and the list goes on and on.

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Written by Laura Hall

Pictures taken by Chris Milne