Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1293556
6 INSIGHT Affinity Group's personal approach reaping 'unprecedented' rewards A Birkirkara company is enjoying a pe- riod of unprecedented growth after a shift in focus to put its people first. Affinity Group has changed its name from Affinity Management Services fol- lowing a change in ownership structure and formation of a new management team in 2019. Established in 2004, the company has spent the past few months emphasising its personal approach to corporate ser- vices, by putting staff at the forefront of the company's image. Andrew Morgan, who took over as chief executive last year, said: "We work in what is traditionally a very corporate industry but what makes us different from many of our competitors is our personal touch. Many of our clients have been with us since 2004 and our team have forged close bonds with them." Morgan said that the team's talent and approachability had always been the Group's biggest asset, and, after the restructure, had been highlighted even more. "So far, it's paying off and this has been one of the most successful periods in our 16-year history," he said. Having built its name within the yachting sector, Affinity now handles a wide range of corporate and fiduciary clients across various industries and is a leading CSP in the Gaming/FinTech sector. Yachting remains an integral part of what the Group does and it re- cently surpassed more than £2 billion of assets under administration. "In addition to growing the client portfolio, we have made Affinity an em- ployer of choice by cultivating a friendly working environment where staff are trusted and empowered," Morgan said. "e key to this has been communica- tion; briefing our team properly on the Group's targets and objectives as well as helping staff to meet their own personal objectives however big or small." Affinity Group, which employs 11 people in its Swatar office and 23 in the Isle of Man, provides corporate servic- es such as company formation, admin- istration and accountancy services for businesses and individuals in yachting, aviation, egaming, commercial proper- ty and other sectors. Morgan said Affinity Groups's growth had continued despite the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. "We were fortunate enough that lock- down was not too painful for us but, like everyone else, we're certainly glad things are heading in the right direc- tion," he said. "Many of the industries we serve are dependent on people be- ing able to leave their homes and travel. We're already a lot busier than we were a month ago and we're expecting that uptick to continue significantly." Group Director Alex Gardner said Af- finity Group had taken the opportunity for a "brand makeover" to emphasise the company's personal approach to Corporate and Trust services. "rough our close-knit team we're able to provide clients with a highly per- sonal service, dedicated to their individ- ual needs and that's what sets Affinity Group apart," he said. "To reflect this approach, we've under- gone a bit of a brand makeover. We have a new name, a new logo, a revamped website and there's plenty more excit- ing updates to come as we prepare for what's sure to be a busy second half of 2020." Group Director Chris Stewart said the company had continued to grow, despite the challenges of Covid-19 lock- down. "As soon as I joined Affinity in Novem- ber 2017, I felt this was an aptly named company and the unusual events of this year have done nothing to dissuade me of that opinion. Despite the prolonged period of lockdown due to Covid-19, we have continued to on board new staff and new clients in to the Affinity fam- ily," he said. "It's testament to the processes and, more importantly, the team we have in place that this has happened, in spite of the obvious complications of all work- ing remotely." Andrew Morgan "The key to this has been communication; briefing our team properly on the Group's targets and objectives as well as helping staff to meet their own personal objectives however big or small" 1.10.2020