A former professional academy footballer, Gregs’ playing career was cut short with a severe injury that left him having to learn to walk again, Greg channelled his other passion for watches to build a wealth of knowledge and experience with one of the world’s most famous watch retailers.
So, Greg, welcome to the team, as our new Sales and client relationship executive. Before your watch journey started, football was your life, right? What does it take to succeed in that game, getting to the highest league in NI?
"Growing up in Belfast I was your typical Belfast lad, went to school and lived for football. My whole family is football mad, from my grandfather being a Northern Irish international to my father playing in the Irish league I knew football was my path. Every day if I wasn’t out in the street with my brother kicking a ball after school, or I was away at my club training with Linfield. I was very lucky with football growing up playing for one of the best teams in the country, it took me all over Europe and gave me some unforgettable moments from playing against champions league sides to winning the All-Ireland Cup. From the countless hours of training multiple days per week and early morning starts to travel across the country for a 10am kick off somewhere, this was everything to me and I wouldn’t have changed it for anything else in the world."
You were telling me earlier about how you broke your leg, did you realise in that moment the seriousness or did that come later? Tell me about that feeling and how did you recover back from that mentally?
"So, in my later teens, I was set on making football a career whether that be playing or coaching but unfortunately at the age of 20, I got my first major injury which resulted in jaw, teeth and nerve damage and that put me out of football for nearly a year. After recovering I had only come back to football for 3 weeks and in a training match, I broke both my tibia and fibula and needed extensive surgery.
I thought my life was over.
The surgeons didn’t know if I was going to be able to walk normally again let alone play football. Learning how to walk over the coming months was definitely the most mentally and physically challenging thing that I've ever been through, but luckily having the best friends, family and physios I have been able to fully recover to normal walking. Being able to run or play sports again would be a longer road, and as much a mental as a physical battle, but I'm pleased to say I didn't give up and am starting back to playing again."
Where did your passion for watches first start?
"My brother is a pilot, and a luxury watch collector and he started showing me and introducing me to the watch-collecting world which initially spiked my interest. When I started working for the Watches of Switzerland Group this is where my love of watches exploded and was able to get hands-on experience with some of the biggest watch brands in the world. I loved the history behind the watches and the brands, from seeing the handmade movement to hearing the famous stories of who, where and when these watches were worn whether that be major racing events, famous explorers or fighter pilots' exploits, I found this fascinating."
It’s not just the interest in watches that drew you to Nomadic you’ve got a bit of a legacy in Belfast’s ship building industry haven’t you?
"Yes, so my great-great-grandfather worked within the shipyard and helped build the RMS Titanic. As one of the more experienced men in the yard, his job on board the Titanic and the Olympic was a watchman, which came with a lot of responsibility. In more recent times both my grandfathers also worked in the shipbuilding industry, one as a crane operator on the ‘Big yellow cranes’ and the other as blacksmith and engineer, so I’m very proud to have that legacy of craft and innovation in the family."
Nomadic obviously use Swiss made movements in all of our watches, having visited many of the Swiss watchmaking hubs on your travels, what is it about the country's culture that uniquely puts Switzerland the best in the world at this?
"Switzerland is the best in the world because their lifestyle is perfectly aligned with watchmaking, everything is so clean and proficient. Absolutely everything you see has a job and a purpose and this fits perfectly into a watch, every screw, cog and spring has a purpose in a watch movement and that why the Swiss watch industry is the best in the world."
In the face of that, can Belfast make its mark on the watchmaking world? What’s the bit you’re most excited about in this role?
"When I first heard of Nomadic Watches, a Belfast luxury watch brand? Yes, you heard right, this was the first Northern Irish luxury watch brand and I knew I had to be a part of it. So I got in touch with Peter, and we spoke about myself and my experience with the watch world he told me all about the brand and how he wants to put Belfast on the map in the luxury watch world and the rest is history, my aim now is to take this brand to the furthest reaches of the luxury watch world.
The clients I've had the pleasure of meeting so far have been great and all have had a great time experiencing the boutique at Nomadic HQ, I think that's the part I'm looking forwards to most is connecting more with the amazing community that is the 'Nomadic Tribe'
Book an Appointment if you would like to come visit the store and we can chat about watches."
