Nick Zarb
The long way round
I studied Biological Sciences at Oxford, started my career in competitive intelligence and public sector logistics strategy, and then spent thirteen years at Simon-Kucher, focusing on pricing and monetisation strategy for technology and media companies. Over that time, I worked across London, San Francisco, and New York, advising some of the most recognised names in software and media across Europe and the US. On paper, it looked like the right track. In practice, I realised I wanted to work differently.
Stepping back to move forward
In 2024, I left corporate consulting and moved to Mexico City to reset how I wanted to live and work. It turned out to be one of the better decisions I’ve made. I got my energy back, found a better rhythm, and realised that my best work happens when I trust my own judgement, stay selective on the work I take on, and focus on the decisions that matter rather than process for process’ sake. The work became better, more enjoyable, and more sustainable.
The work itself
My focus is primarily on pricing and monetisation strategy for technology and media companies, from startups to large public enterprises. That includes packaging architecture, price structure and metric design, willingness-to-pay research, and the commercial transformation work needed to align sales, product, and finance around a model that actually holds. I’ve worked with 50+ companies across software, media, and consumer internet, including OpenAI, Cloudflare, DoorDash, and Superhuman/Grammarly.
Why Northlane
I’d been working alongside Johan and Saagar for over a year before formally joining. The quality of thinking, the operator mindset, and the AI-first model made me reexamine how strategy consulting should work. They were building the kind of AI-enabled and productised consulting model I had only really had time to dabble in, but strongly believed was going to reshape the industry sooner rather than later. Joining Northlane felt like a natural next step: a chance to stay entrepreneurial while helping build something bigger across the Americas.
Outside the work
Mexico City has been more than a backdrop. It has been part of the reset. I love the culture, the food, the art, and the neighbourhoods that sit outside the obvious recommendations. I’m usually accompanied by my Shih-Tzu Twiglet, who has strong opinions about work-life balance and is not shy about enforcing them.