Vlads

Vlads Lahiza, a Latvian native turned Nottingham lad and a junior developer in our digital team, sadly lost his battle with cancer on 19th October 2022. He was too young.

Vlads joined us in February 2020, just before the entire world turned upside down. Despite being the last one in, he took the changes in his stride, quietly adapting to working in an entirely new way with a bunch of people he'd barely met.

It didn't take long for him to fit in and become good friends with many in the team. There were the expected mutual interests - the work we do and the technologies we use, family life, raising his son, music and playing in a band, getting outdoors and appreciating nature on our doorstep, playing poker (and beating most of us at it in his first RKH game...), UFC and video games.

But given his Russian heritage, it wasn't a surprise that he held some controversial points of view too: the Red Hot Chilli Peppers are the best band in the world, Harry Potter is a genius, and fish roe is one of the tastiest foods there is.

He wasn't with us for nearly long enough, but he will be sorely missed and fondly remembered for his strong will, determination, and a great sense of humour. Our thoughts are with his wife, young son and wider family back home.

Farewell Vlads.