We’re Building On Our Market-Leading Position By Getting Ahead Of The Game Where It Matters

The Right Conversations, With The Right People, At The Right Time

The Direct Affinity Approach

Systems and service must go hand in hand for a truly effective solution and that’s why we pride ourselves on the team we’ve assembled.

From strategy to execution, the DIRECT AFFINITY EUROPE LINE-UP is made up of individuals with a diverse but complementary array of skills and attributes, all united by a passion for the customer journey and “doing the right thing for the consumer”.

Meet The Leadership Team

Out of school, apart from the family, it’s all about Everton FC. The high point? Seeing this Holy Trinity win the championship over 50 years ago!

Phil Williams

Chief Executive Officer

Phil is driven by a desire to add value and exceed customer expectations. He has been providing consumer-focused services since he cut his teeth with a North American Finance House way back in the mid-1980s.

He blends both sales and operational expertise to provide objective analysis for clients, to help them maximise their business opportunities. He asks questions, listens with an intent to understand, and builds teams that provide best-in-class solutions.

Phil is also not afraid to pioneer new ideas. The hugely successful relocation of our Outsourced BDC services from the UK to Tenerife is a testament to that. He saw the customer service opportunities that could be derived from the fantastic employee pool of skilled and mature, ex-pat professionals residing on the island.

Away from work, Sam’s happiest trampling over the moorland of East Lancashire.

Sam Gildert

Director

20 years of automotive experience has given Sam a unique insight into most aspects of the industry and he’s able to use that experience to support and advise our clients. Having started as a sales executive, he moved through retail management positions before taking central roles on the executive board of UK Car Group.

Sam has worked with Direct Affinity for over 8 years in a client-facing capacity, planning and managing the delivery of our full range of services. He’s harnessed his passion for the sector to deliver a best-in-class experience for our clients and their customers.

Andrea doesn’t have a Gin shelf… she has shelves.

Andrea Williams

Director

Andrea has spent her whole career providing customer focused services and operational solutions. Her skills have been honed through 35 years worth of challenges, successes, learnings and every experience you can think of. She is considering writing a book!

Andrea’s attention to detail and foresight allows her to create and plan successful delivery of operational strategies that produces the best possible customer experience and return on investment for Direct Affinity Europe’s clients..

In his spare time, Paul is an enthusiastic apiarist (bee-keeper) – we had to look it up too!

Paul Flood

Chief Technology Officer

Paul has over 35 years of experience in technology. Designing and developing secure high availability technology solutions in the telecoms, defense, finance, and logistics sectors.

He started his career working in the defense sector in Manchester, programming computers the size of an average terraced house, and has worked through the technology revolution of the past 30 years.

Working with the Direct Affinity Europe team, Paul looks to drive technology and innovation within the business leveraging the vast knowledge and experience of the group.

Say Hello To The Tenerife Management Team

Apparently, it’s okay to look but Fiona can get prickly if you touch it – let alone drink it!

Fiona Westwood

Manager

Fiona learnt all about customer service the hard way, working her way up in the hospitality sector from receptionist to hotelier and restaurateur, running her thriving business for 26 years jointly with her husband. On moving to Tenerife full time, Fiona joined us in 2017 knowing very little about contact centres or cars but soon found herself enjoying the whole process and being part of a great team. Fiona moved up through the ranks before becoming manager in 2020.

All the gear and no idea!

Trevor Johnston

Training Manager

Trevor has worked for several large organizations including Standard Life, Europcar and the Sixt Rental Motor Group. He has a real passion for better customer service, active listening and problem solving, all skills that stand him in good stead at Direct Affinity Europe. Trevor has been with us for 3 years moving up quickly through the ranks to take on the critical role of training co-ordinator, delivering the high-quality instruction, mentoring and coaching we require, to ensure we can maintain the appropriate standards for our clients, delivered by the most motivated and engaged team possible!

Whoever said that diamonds are a girl’s best friend never owned a dog (let alone two…)

Steph O’Hanlon

Management Assistant

After a holiday to Tenerife Steph loved the weather so much, she decided to leave the UK and her work in supermarket management to live the ex-pat life here instead.

Joining Direct Affinity Europe in 2017 a number of promotions followed, leading to Steph’s current role covering everything from IT issues, to maintenance, to floor and team training support. I’m not sure where we’d be without Steph!

A long-suffering Boro fan, this is how he feels most weekends as a “Smoggie” supporter.

Paul Macadie

Training Supervisor

Paul decided to make a life-changing decision to relocate from a rainy, windswept Middlesbrough to Sunny Tenerife way back in 2007 and has never looked back.

While on the island he has worked in various sales, marketing, and management roles with great success. He gets a great buzz out of mentoring and helping people achieve their very best results.

Paul was recommended to Direct Affinity by friends and after the first interview, he knew that this was the company that would help him achieve his goals.

This is the mighty Portsmouth FC back in 2008 when we actually used to win games

Alex Docherty

Training Supervisor

Alex has worked in customer-facing roles for a number of years, starting his career in the casino industry with the Rank Group, where he took on the responsibility for the training of staff. He utilises the skills he learnt there to great effect in his current role of Training Supervisor with Direct Affinity, bringing an enthusiasm for getting the best out of the team, thus helping everyone to deliver on behalf of our clients.

Finally, The Wider Team

Dan Derbyshire

Yearly trips to Wembley with City and Wolves!

Tom Dutton

Tom reckons he doesn’t get up to much out of the office, apart from the Bungee jumping…

Lottie Roberts

The kit doesn’t quite fit anymore, but nothing else has changed.

Emma Pickering

Out of school Emma can usually be found donning the hiking boots and exploring somewhere new. The more water and the more trees the better, although the beach in Tenerife wouldn’t go amiss.

Liam Carney

Liam is our resident clubber / festival-going and youngest member of the UK co-ordination team. When he’s not learning the ropes on all things digital and technical, he’ll be going large at Creamfields.

Mike Buckley

Mike’s a keen (bordering on fanatical) lycra-ist.

Emma Abbott

No caption required for this one!

Judith Beney

Judith: another one of our grape aficionados.

Gill Clarke

Part time Mountain explorer by the look of this shot.

Louise Armstrong

A variation on the wine fancier’s theme from Louise here.

Julie Humphreys

No, me too, absolutely no idea what’s going on here…

Emma Barker

Out of school Emma can be found with her two favourite ladies!

Sharon Edens

When a love of music and creativity collides in the kitchen.

Simon Phillips

Misses Hot Air Ballooning, it’s not an advisable hobby surrounded by sea and winds.

David Crosbie

Loves the arrows! One hundred and eighty.

Gemma Miller

No-one takes Gemma on in the “who can hold their breath for longest” game…

Paul Rowley

Bliss, beats and Buddha, makes the soul shudder -apparently…

Tracy Hanlan

Scottish sun protection in Tenerife. Either that or the latest installation at the Tate Modern.

Bill Taylor

Bill’s been with the Tigers through thick and thin (and it’s been more of the latter recently)

Chris Steward

I try very hard to hit a small ball with a stick… thank heaven for the 19th hole!

Sarah Clifton

Live life, Laugh plenty and Love those close to you.

Trisha Valentine

My golf buggy is the only way to travel!

Jane Neal

In her spare time, Jane enjoys being an Avid crystal (joss stick) collector.

Melanie Barry

Traveling gave me the best education I ever imagined. My home is where I am

“Go See, Ask Why, Show Respect”

Detect

We detect the issues using a variety of tools and processes including our Digital Audit Programme that uniquely maps the digital path to purchase by looking at what happens through the eyes of the consumer.

Diagnose

We diagnose the problem by analysing the data available to use from all sources (quantitative and qualitative). Because of our unrivaled sector experience, we’re able to interpret what the data tells us, quickly and concisely.

Deploy

Then and only then do we deploy a solution, using our best-in-class Tech, Team and Tools.

A Strategic Partners To The Automotive Retail Sector

It’s easy to make a claim but to ensure you can deliver on it each and every time takes real precision and requires different solutions. For example, we saw that there was an opportunity to tap into a high quality and skilled pool of talent in enclaves popular with ex-pats. So, in 2016, after a huge amount of research we successfully migrated our entire outsourced Business Development Centre (BDC) to Tenerife. And we haven’t looked back!

The move has helped further enhance the company’s reputation as not only a trusted service provider but also as a key strategic business partner for many automotive clients.