So today is my last day at Existem, the place that has become a second home and family for me for the past half decade. I came here straight from graduating in 2006, in fact my first day of holiday for the company was spent in a tent (read glamorous marquee) accepting a piece of paper from a “Z list celebrity” to inform me my student loan hadn’t been entirely spent on beer — although in truth it had, but the paperwork never lies.

I remember back in ’06 when my Existem journey begain. Chris and Matt had just been over to watch the world cup and were full of stories about their time singing in the terraces; The assembly of furniture for an ever expanding office as the growth of an Empire began to take shape; The Dixie Queen and the start of Existem events; The beers. I could keep up in those days.

In later times the move to the larger office. The start of the a4uexpo and the awards shows. Michael McIntyre and the RedCar joke. Jackson and the snow. Singing Oasis at 3am on New Years eve 2009 with Chris.

And of course the friends I made here. Matt, Chris, Sarah, Sarah, Stu, Dave, Carrie-Anne, Mark, Hannah, Simon, Simon, Shawn, Darian, Nick, Langer, Adam, Tom, Ryan, Claire, Ingrid, Mark, Bruce. Not to mention the a4u regulars like Matt, Nadeem, Jason, John, Dom, Julie and Bex. You guys all rock.

So today, I hand over the reigns to Jon, Existem’s new designer. I’m sure I’m leaving everything in very capable hands. If you meet him at an a4u event of the future please make him as welcome as you made me.

So what now?

Well, if you’re interested, I’ve started a company along with two people I’ve had the pleasure of knowing for a few years — Ben Coleman and Adam Robertson. Together we are fffunction. (read that in a Bill and Ted, wild stallions voice). We’re a user-centric design company based in Bristol and Cornwall, building great products for great people. We believe Form Follows Function. If you want to know more, then give us a fffollow (see what I did there) on twitter.

So, a big thank you to everyone at Existem past and present, anyone I’ve met at our events or in the bar afterwards. It’s been a blast and I wouldn’t change a minute of it.

Pete Out