GPWA Times Magazine - Issue 26 - October 2013

AFFILIATE MANAGER INTERVIEW SERIES ated; however, as a time served inmate at the Club World Group HQ I was prepared for some of Martyn’s more unorthodox approaches to team management (firing elastic bands around the office, sticking Red Bull cans to his head, etc.). When I went to Amsterdam I was amazed at how many people actually liked him!! In all seriousness, though, Martyn has been a great teacher so far. I couldn’t wish for a better manager. He’s fun to have around the office but he gets his work done, even if it means staying extra late. The bond he has with affiliates is something I hope to replicate; they aren’t just his business part- ners, a lot of them are friends. How do you ensure that payments are sent out on time? And when do your payments go out? We have a pretty de- cent payment system in place which we manage to stick to the vast majority of the time. Delays sometimes are inevitable, but we try to keep the affiliates informed when and if a delay occurs. The vast majority of our payments are made on the fifth work- ing day of the month, with the wire trans- fers being made on or around the 19th of the month, depending on what day that falls on. One thing is for sure with us, you don’t need to worry about getting paid – even if it’s late we’re on top of it and will get it to you as soon as possible. Where do you think the industry will be in five years? I could take a guess but seriously I don’t think I’m the best quali- fied person to answer this question at this stage in my fledgling career. I’d like to think it will be flourishing with me at the forefront driving the affiliate industry for- ward. Let’s see what happens! Word is you’re a football fan. Do you play yourself? What’s your favorite team? I play in a five-a-side league on a Wednesday just to stay fit. None of us are that mobile so it’s kind of like playing in the mean machine squad. I support Manchester United. I live around five minutes from Old Trafford, and held a season ticket as a teenager. I wish I still had it now but my weekends all seem to be taken up by other things. I have a few friends still with season tickets so getting to go to games is still quite easy for me when I have time. We also hear you enjoy cycling. Do you race or are you a recreational rider? Again, just recreational to keep fit – more of a fair-weather rider. If someone from out of town were to vis- it you, where is the one place you would have to take them? The Australasia Restaurant for food. If anyone is ever in Manchester I highly recommend it. They serve the best sushi I have ever tasted and have a range of cocktails that not even Tom Cruise could create. That would probably be followed by a trip to Old Trafford (preferably a Champions League game) to watch the best team in the world teach the opposition a foot- balling lesson. What’s the best movie food? Ben & Jerry’s Cookie Dough ice cream. I can’t get enough of the stuff. What is the last book you read? Did you enjoy it? And did you read it on an e- reader? Or do you need to have a copy of the physical book in your hand? I’m not a big reader lately, but the last time I picked up a book I ended up reading the first four Harry Potter books. Everything I do is in binge sessions, whether it be watching TV, reading books, drinking, etc. I can’t just watch one series or read one book. I have to be in the right mood for something, and when I am I do it to an extreme level. I do plan on reading the Game of Thrones books in the near future. What is your favorite movie? Inception . If you had a theme song, what would it be? The Benny Hill theme tune. Listen to it here: http://gpwa.org/369. If you could go anywhere on vacation, where would you go? There are so many places I want to go to . . . India, Malaysia, Singapore and China; also Japan is high on my list of places to visit. Okay, so I just reviewed the list and there’s an obvious hint that I love Far Eastern food. If you could have dinner with three other people, living or dead, who would they be? Frankie Boyle, David Attenborough and Bobby Charlton. What would you do if you just inherited a pizzeria from your uncle? I’m not a massive fan of pizza so I’d probably sell up and invest the money in property. Sorry, Uncle Mario! What are three things that no one knows about you? 1. I’ve been spiking Martyn’s shampoo with hair removal cream for three years. 2. I made the front of a newspaper with friends for jumping off a bridge 60 feet into water. The headline read “Kids Dice With Death.” 3. I’m known for being a bit clumsy, e.g., falling in the only puddle in Manchester, during a heat wave, on my lunch break , on a workday, in front of a beer garden full of people! Video evidence is avail- able thanks to Martyn, who obtained the CCTV footage! Affiliate Manager Interview Series