A language service provider (LSP) based in Lille, France has opened an office in Central Hong Kong and will launch a hiring campaign early next year, according to the LSP’s new Sales Manager. Meanwhile, a Turkish LSP just named its new Operations Manager, who notes how translation quality has been suffering in the country of late. And Ireland’s Vistatec has announced a series of appointments in its American offices.

This is the week in language industry hires.

Clyde Bergel – Powerling

France-based language service provider Powerling recently named Clyde Bergel its Hong Kong Sales Manager. He officially assumes his post on September 1, 2016, reporting to Senior Language Consultant Matthijs Kooijman, who is based in the Netherlands.

Working out of Central Hong Kong, Bergel is presently “the only employee in HK,” he tells us, adding that “the goal is to grow the Asian office by recruiting new team members in early 2017.”

Being of dual nationality, French and English, Bergel says he has always been “attracted to languages in their different written and spoken forms.” He previously worked at the French Chamber of Commerce in the former British colony. While there, he became familiar with Powerling when they provided linguistic services to some of the French Chamber’s members, who were also Bergel’s clients.

Noting how the industry is “changing tremendously” given various corporate mergers that have taken place recently, Bergel believes “mature clients will look for different aspects of the translation service, other than just the price.”

Selen Erdem – MoTTo

MoTTo Translation named Selen Erdem Operations Manager from June 2016. She reports to Yıldırım Ceyhun Bölge, Managing Director at the Istanbul-based language service provider (LSP).

“We had translation lessons in the university. After that, I decided to be in this industry. It was not hard for me,” says Erdem, who has a bachelor’s in English and Literature.

According to Erdem, quality in the Turkish translation industry “reduces from day to day as the prices go down and the expectations of the translation companies [becomes] very low,” even as urgency is of paramount importance.

The dilemma now for Turkish LSPs is how to combine quality and low cost—the topic of many a discussion at translation companies there, Erdem tells us.

She also says the use of machine translation continues to increase as “it is tested by many leading companies.”

Edward Robetcky – Vistatec

Vistatec appointed Edward Robetcky Director of US Sales from July 2016. Based in California, he reports to Michele Smith, SVP of New Business Development, whose appointment we featured in May.

Robetcky has worked in localization since 2007, with companies like Toyota, Yamaha, and    Hyundai. Prior to joining Vistatec, he held senior business development posts at commercial printer Crestec USA, and language service providers SDL, Argos Translations, and TransPerfect. He has a BS in Marine Biology from UCLA.

Brian Gallant – Vistatec

Another new appointee at Vistatec is Brian Gallant, who was named Director of Sales for North America in July. He also reports to SVP Michele Smith.

Gallant worked at Moravia as Global Localization Consultant prior to joining Vistatec. Before that, he spent a year as Strategic Account Manager at LanguageLine and four years as Business Development Director at Lionbridge.

He currently volunteers at the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, United Way Worldwide, and several local charities.

Claire Goodswen – Vistatec

Vistatec also appointed Claire Goodswen Director of Solutions Architecture from July. Prior to the Dublin-based language service provider, she worked at Lionbridge, first as Solutions Architect in 2003 and then Global Marketing Solutions Manager from 2015 until her departure. She too reports to SVP Michele Smith.

Goodswen is a 17-year localization veteran with experience in myriad sectors; travel and hospitality, retail, IT, and life sciences. She also worked in a senior role at marketing communications firm Bowne for four years.

Goodswen regularly speaks at industry events on such topics as optimizing content, customer engagement, and the impact of global content.

Lara Daly – Vistatec

Earlier this year, Vistatec named Lara Daly Director of Strategic Accounts. She reports to Alain Impellizzeri, Director of Strategic Account Management.

Prior to Vistatec, Daly was Director of Sales for North America at Moravia from 2013–2015, rising from the post Senior Business Development Manager, which she assumed in 2012. Before that, she was Director of Strategic Accounts at Lionbridge for six years.

Like Goodswen, Daly also worked at Bowne, where she was Senior Business Development Manager. She earned her bachelor’s in Spanish and Portuguese at UC Berkeley.

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