Our People

Gary Robinson

From initially setting up the business in 2001 to the ongoing growth and success that we experience now, Gary has built and led the specialist teams in the Direct Group for over 25 years.

As the Group CEO, Gary runs the 3 businesses with a high level of business acumen that has guided us through the ups and downs of the industry and continues to drive our success. This includes our previous exclusive participation in “Can’t Pay? We’ll Take It Away!” which became a widely successful TV programme, nominated for a BAFTA award.

Gary continues to strive for further success for the businesses, with DCBL’s sister company, DCB Legal, becoming the largest litigator in the UK, and DCBL becoming the largest parking enforcement debt recovery company.

He is also ensuring that the group invests more and more back into the community and economy, with the DCBL Stadium sponsorship, support of local grassroots sports teams, and an ongoing recruitment drive.

“We set out to be the best and by default became the biggest.”

Darren Connor

In his role as Group COO, Darren is responsible for ensuring that the companies’ data-driven debt collection and enforcement strategies are industry-leading in both operational service delivery and regulatory compliance.

Darren has over 35 years of experience in the Debt Collection, Civil and High Court Enforcement industry, working at a senior level on a range of Local and Central Government contracts, including Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service and Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs.

His knowledge and experience gained over this time are being utilised to help evolve DCBL’s collection and enforcement solutions to further increase our enviable levels of customer engagement, whilst continuing to exceed our clients’ expectations across all contracts.

Outside of work Darren enjoys watching a range of sports, especially rugby now that his playing days are over, and spending time travelling with his family.

Andrew Heyes FCCA BA (Hons)

In his role of Chief Financial Officer and Compliance Officer for Finance and Administration (COFA) for the Direct Group, Andrew is responsible for ensuring financial health of the companies, developing robust controls and governance.

Andrew is a chartered accountant with over 15 years of experience in finance, spanning construction, engineering, property and vehicle rentals, has previously operated at board level, and has worked in companies listed on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges working closely with E&Y and Deloitte.

His knowledge and experience gained over this time are being utilised to drive strategic plans and projects resulting in continuous improvement ensuring Direct Group can provide industry leading services to our customers.

Outside of work Andrew has previously held roles as trustee, treasurer and chairman for the local RSPCA animal charity, but is currently kept busy with his young family and dogs.

Lee Samuels-Camozzi

As the Strategy Director for the Direct Group, Lee drives key strategic initiatives, as well as supporting the development of long-term growth plans within the Group as a whole.

He brings over 20 years of experience at a Senior Management level within the highly regulated Utility and Communications industry and a wealth of knowledge of compliance-led Debt Collection processes. Lee undoubtedly continues to bring value to our teams and systems across the Direct Group.

Lee has a lot of objectives that he’s looking to achieve within the company. He focuses on improving, innovating, and ultimately accomplishing long-term growth and success for the Group.

Outside of work Lee enjoys the variety that family life offers including travelling with his partner and son.

Jamie Gibson

In his role as Managing Director of DCBL Ltd, Jamie is responsible for leading the firm’s collections and recoveries prior to the matter going to court. Ensuring we maximise collections in a fair and transparent way is paramount to us and therefore Jamie’s experience of 20 plus years in the utilities sector is critical.

Ensuring we enhance the environment to allow our people to thrive is of paramount importance to Jamie and he is proud of the people he has helped reach their potential throughout his career. Jamie started his career in utilities as a front-line agent, and he has then worked at all leadership levels before reaching the Managing Director role in 2022 and therefore understands the importance of all our colleagues and the role they play in delivering compliant and ethical debt resolution services.

Outside of work, Jamie has three children in their late teens and early twenties. He loves to spend time with them, listen to music and travel. He is a keen follower of most sports and also loves to cook over an open fire.

Nicole Walker

As New Business Director, Nicole brings over 10 years of experience spanning key areas of the business, including Collections, Client Services, Private Litigation, and Sales & Marketing. This cross-functional background gives her a comprehensive view of business operations and a deep understanding of how commercial performance drives overall business outcomes.

She leads a highly experienced team of 26 professionals who collectively bring over 100 years of industry experience to the table. Her team spans multiple specialist areas within the sales department, including:

Pre-Court Debt Recovery
Letter Cycle Debt Recovery
Litigation
Administration
High Court Enforcement

This structured approach ensures deep domain expertise, operational efficiency, and a strong alignment between front-end sales activity and end-to-end client delivery. Under Nicole’s leadership, the synergy between marketing strategy and sales execution serves as a key driver for revenue growth, customer retention, and strong market positioning.

Outside of the office, Nicole loves to travel and explore new destinations. She is also a big fan of live entertainment and thrill-seeking, frequently spending her free time attending musicals or visiting theme parks.

Steph Clements

In her role as Head of Risk and Compliance, Steph plays a key role in shaping the firm’s governance and compliance culture. She leads the oversight of regulatory adherence and quality assurance across all departments, ensuring the business operates to the highest standards.

Steph is responsible for the design and delivery of the firm’s Quality Assurance framework, overseeing monitoring, auditing and control testing across operational and support functions. Her team provides independent oversight of customer outcomes, regulatory compliance and internal standards, identifying areas for improvement and driving continuous enhancement through structured feedback, root cause analysis and corrective action. The function also supports staff development through coaching and insight, helping to embed a culture of accountability, consistency and high performance across the organisation.

She is also responsible for maintaining the firm’s ISO accreditations (9001, 27001 and 14001), reflecting a commitment to quality, information security and environmental management. With a decade of experience in governance and compliance, and 5 years focused on debt resolution, she combines technical expertise with a practical, business-focused approach to risk and compliance.

Gillian Beckett

Gill joined DCBL in June 2019 as HR and Payroll Manager, this was after a brief stint trying out early retirement.

Since joining DCBL, Gill has progressed to the position of Head of Shared Services, with over 25 years’ experience in similar roles, she brings a wealth of experience in HR and Payroll Management and is committed to ensuring smooth operations and effective practices.

Gill has also volunteered as a Magistrate for the past 23 years; something she is very proud of and has thoroughly enjoyed.

In her spare time, she enjoys watching Rugby, and particularly the 6 Nations. She also enjoys spending time with her family and likes to travel, especially to Australia where her daughter lives.

Dave Joyce

In his role as Business Development Manager for DCBL, Dave offers clients an introduction to the companies processes, services and costs.

Dave has over 20 years of experience within the collection industry and has been with DCBL for the last 15 years. He joined us as a Field Enforcement Agent before taking up the role of Business Development Manager in April 2016. His role involves acting for clients in debt recovery matters, dealing with bulk volume debt recovery, as well as bespoke complex collection matters for companies and individuals.

Dave likes to go to Old Trafford to watch Manchester United and exploring the UK in his motor home.

Tom Ennis

Tom is an Authorised High Court Enforcement Officer at DCBL with over 15 years of experience in the enforcement industry. He began his career as a certificated enforcement agent, where he developed a strong foundation in compliance, negotiation, and effective case resolution.

Through dedication and a commitment to the sector, Tom progressed within the profession to achieve authorisation as a High Court Enforcement Officer. This progression reflects both his practical expertise and his commitment to maintaining the highest professional standards.

Tom is a hardworking, highly motivated, and conscientious individual who takes pride in delivering results through a firm but fair approach. He understands that professionalism, integrity, and clear communication are essential to every case.

With extensive expertise across all areas of enforcement – including County/High Court Judgment debt recovery, Employment Tribunal/ACAS recovery, CRAR, Common Law Evictions, and the execution of Possession Orders, Tom combines strategic planning with practical problem-solving and confident decision-making in fast-moving environments.

His results-driven mindset enables him to manage complex enforcement matters efficiently, ensuring that instructions are carried out with diligence and respect for all parties involved.

Outside of work, Tom prioritises spending quality time with his family and maintaining an active lifestyle through gym training and the outdoors.

Simon Williamson

Simon has been a High Court Enforcement Officer for over 25 years offering a wealth of knowledge and experience to clients and peers alike. He is also a chattel auctioneer and commercial valuer working with many Insolvency Practitioners and the Official Receiver.

Simon is active in all areas of the High Court business, working very closely with the support team in the office as well as the Enforcement Agents in the field.

“I strive for fair, effective enforcement mindful of the highest levels of service we offer our clients”.

Being a part of the DCBL senior management team is an interesting and challenging role where Simon can impart his business acumen and entrepreneurial spirit, which is essential within a fast-growing, leading enforcement business.

Work hard, play hard is Simon’s mantra. He enjoys a range of sports including rugby, running and skiing. He has recently completed his 100th marathon and qualified as a ski instructor. Homelife is fulfilling with a wife and three children enjoying many extra-curricular activities.

Jennie Murphy

Jennie is the Bailiff and Enforcement Support Manager and joined DCBL in 2017. Before this, Jen started her career working in a collections team for another High Court Enforcement office then progressed to a similar management role. She now has over 15 years of experience in the industry.

Overseeing all of the High Court Enforcement activity within DCBL, Jennie is integral to organising the agents, coordinating the areas they work in, and managing the internal support team as well as the field agents. This role is hugely important, requiring Jen to be on call from 6am to 9pm!

Jennie tackles her role with passion and dedication, ensuring our clients receive outstanding service and that their debts are collected swiftly and ethically.

Jen is outgoing, bubbly and enjoys spending time with her daughter and ponies.