Joel Smith named CEO as Affinity Payroll eyes major growth

Affinity Payroll has announced the appointment of Joel Smith as its new chief executive officer (CEO). Joel Smith transitions from his previous role as chief revenue officer (CRO) within the company, a position he has held since 2022. His promotion comes as Affinity Payroll aims to expand its market and introduce new innovations across its operations.

Joel Smith has been recognised for his contributions to evolving Affinity’s market strategy. Initially brought on board to rebuild Affinity's go-to-market (GTM) function, Joel has directed efforts to transform the company’s approach from a niche fully managed payroll service to a more diversified range of solutions. His career in sales and leadership within the technology sector, notably with ELMO, has equipped him well for this leadership role.

Joel Smith expressed his enthusiasm for the new position, stating, "I’m thrilled to step into the role of CEO and am eager to help the business kick into the next gear. It’s an exciting time for Affinity; we’ve spent the past few years laying the groundwork, and now we’re ready to accelerate our growth and drive higher performance across a broader team."

Under his leadership, Affinity Payroll plans to triple the size of its business over the next three years. This ambitious growth strategy will involve tapping into new market opportunities and expanding the company’s suite of offerings. Smith highlighted the focus on strategic partnerships and structural changes to support increased volume and new market opportunities.

As part of its roadmap, the company is giving high priority to its Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) offering, compliance, and infrastructure investment. It is also exploring the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance payroll processing. The company now provides a range of services including SaaS Cloud Payroll and Workforce Management software, a supported payroll service for compliance and configuration, and a fully managed payroll service for businesses opting to outsource payroll functions. Among its products is Affinity Remuneration, designed to help larger businesses manage complex annual remuneration review processes.

Affinity Payroll aims to maintain strong relationships with existing customers, considering them vital to the business. By investing in these relationships and prioritising beneficial developments, the company seeks to balance its long-term strategic goals with immediate market demands, thus ensuring customer needs are met while pursuing growth.

Joel Smith emphasised the significance of compliance expertise, particularly in handling the complex requirements of both Australia and New Zealand. He noted, “Compliance is getting harder, and the consequences for getting it wrong are more severe. Most payroll vendors can handle either Australia or New Zealand, but very few can manage both with equal confidence. Affinity invests heavily in ensuring it has a strong understanding of regulations in both regions so that our clients can ensure confident compliance within their businesses."

In his previous statements, Joel Smith commented on the company’s technological advantages. Affinity’s real-time payroll solution processes data in the background, offering more accurate and timely payroll information compared to traditional batch processing systems. This event-driven system is a key element that Affinity plans to maintain and expand.

Joel Smith, in his final remarks, said, “Sometimes a company needs someone who is commercial, understands customers, and can mobilise the team to maximise opportunities. That’s my strength. My career has revolved around building high-performing teams that work well and deliver high quality results, and I’m looking forward to mobilising our talented team at Affinity and taking us on an exciting growth journey."