BP26 :: Programme

Technology pervades all aspects of our trade as language professionals. We are urged to embrace it (the quicker, the better!), but the landscape is simply too vast, and we wouldn’t be able to cover it all in a lifetime.

IA. The cloud. Automations. Termbases. Prompt engineering. Digital security.
Where to start?
Don’t panic. Your brain is AND WILL STILL BE the only key asset. But which are the business tools YOU need?

In this workshop, you will gain a better understanding of your current and future tech needs, then draw a reasonable roadmap based on your skills, your fields of expertise, and the clients you serve.

You will learn how to scope technology adoption, discard trendy digital gadgets that might be less useful than they look, spot the tools that will improve your specific workflow, and ultimately create a learning strategy to understand, test, and implement in your working routine new tools, all while leveraging those you already have.

Make the most out of the time and sweat invested in your digital toolset.
How? By making sense out of what you do with your computer, your digital subscriptions, your AI tools, and your technological know-how, whether you are a geek or slightly allergic to digital innovation.

You may even start to sell that expertise to your clients and diversify your service portfolio!

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Carlos has hit the milestone of 25 years providing language services and training for companies and individuals all over the world.
He has lived and developed his skills in 10 different countries, proudly working as a Technology Trainer, Localization Project Manager, School Teacher and, of course, Translator. His natural inclination towards learning and gathering new experiences has driven his career mixing academic and business life.
Over the years, he has worked with dozens of international clients such as Amazon, Microsoft, 3M, Cisco, SDL/RWS, and Nokia, to name a few. He is a regular at translation industry events and loves sharing knowledge with fellow professionals in order to build a better, more human, yet tech-oriented industry led by happy people.
He lives in a beautiful village near Pisa (Italy) and splits his time as an Associate Professor at the University of Bologna, speaker, and freelance Language/Technology Consultant and Localizer.
He allegedly enjoys singing and playing both melodic and loud music.

AI is no longer a distant concept or a passing trend — it has become a daily reality for translators. Yet many professionals still struggle to move beyond experimentation and turn AI into a reliable, ethical, and effective part of their work. This hands-on workshop is designed to bridge that gap.

During the session, participants will build their own practical AI playbook through guided exercises, live demonstrations, and real-life examples. The workshop explores AI-supported workflows across three key areas: visibility and marketing, client communication and administrative tasks, and translation quality. Rather than focusing on tools alone, the emphasis is on practical decision-making, responsible use, and workflows that genuinely save time while preserving professional standards.

Participants will actively work on their own laptops, creating concrete outputs such as improved texts, communication templates, and refined translation drafts. By the end of the workshop, they will leave with tested workflows, greater confidence in using AI responsibly, and a clear strategy for integrating AI into everyday professional practice in a way that adds value — both for themselves and for their clients.

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With over 20 years of experience as a sworn English–Polish translator and interpreter, Marta Mamet-Michalkiewicz brings long-standing professional expertise into her work as a trainer, mentor, and speaker. She has developed a broad portfolio of educational activities focused on translation, artificial intelligence, public speaking, and effective professional communication.

She is an Associate Professor of University of Silesia, teaching Translation Studies and an Expert Translator of the Polish Society of Sworn and Specialized Translators (TEPIS). In her academic and training work, she supports translators, educators, and professionals in developing practical skills, strategic thinking, and confidence in a rapidly changing professional environment.

She regularly delivers workshops and training sessions on AI-supported workflows, translation and interpreting, professional positioning, client communication, presentation skills, and personal branding. Her strength lies in connecting theory with real-world practice and translating complex concepts into clear, actionable strategies.

This broad, interdisciplinary background allows her to design sessions that are practical, engaging, and immediately applicable — empowering participants to improve their performance, strengthen their professional presence, and adapt successfully to new tools, technologies, and communication challenges.

Feeling stuck in low-paid translation work while other freelancers thrive? Many translators find themselves trapped in competitive markets, struggling with rates that haven’t increased in years.

This keynote reveals how to build a profitable portfolio business that goes beyond translation. You’ll learn the strategic pivot framework that helped me transform my business from pure translation to a portfolio including copywriting and thought leadership ghostwriting and strategy, significantly increasing my income.

You’ll discover high-value services where your translation background gives you genuine competitive advantages. Drawing on my successful pivots, I’ll show you how to identify strategic opportunities including content strategy, transcreation and international business communications. These aren’t random pivots; they’re strategic choices that leverage the unique skills you’ve developed as a translator.

You’ll leave with a practical 30-day action plan to start building your portfolio business immediately, from identifying opportunities to securing your first project in your new service area.

Whether you’re concerned about AI disruption or simply ready to earn what you’re worth.

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Antoinette Chappell is a qualified member of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI) with nearly two decades of experience in professional language services. Her working languages are French, Italian and Spanish into English. She has successfully transformed her business from pure translation work to a profitable portfolio including copywriting and thought leadership ghostwriting and strategy.

As the author of “Copy that!” (2023), which chronicles her professional journey from translator to copywriter and ghostwriter, Antoinette brings practical, proven strategies to help other translators leverage their language expertise for higher-value work.

Through her London-based company, ARC Writing and Translation Services, she currently works with founders and C-suite executives, specialising in executive thought leadership and strategic communication. Her clients value her unique combination of linguistic expertise, cultural sensitivity and strategic positioning skills.

Antoinette’s approach focuses on building sustainable portfolio businesses that complement rather than replace translation work. She shares her insights through a monthly newsletter, “Word up!” and is passionate about helping translators recognise and monetise the valuable transferable skills they’ve developed through their language work.

In a market reshaped by AI, specialization has reemerged as the key to relevance and higher-value work. (About time, too.)
This session offers a practical roadmap for translators ready to move from “good at many things” to “known for one.” We’ll explore how to identify a promising niche, build credibility, adjust pricing, and transition strategically. Through real-world examples, you’ll learn how to develop genuine expertise and create a career that’s both more secure and more rewarding.

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Chris Durban is a freelance translator (Fr>En) specializing in business strategy, investor relations, and corporate communications. Her clients are listed companies, large corporations & SMEs and regional development authorities, both in France and other countries.
She translates just about every day and enjoys it immensely, delivering carefully crafted work in high-profile, high-visibility, high-risk situations that generally involve intense interaction with text authors and users.

Practical step-by-step playbook on how to build your own AI agents. Sales or admin support, lead generation, email traffic or notifications – all done in the background by AI agent. The personal assistant that you created and manage, available 24/7.
We will start with the audit of the needs, focusing on one workflow or most tedious/problematic task. Define the in- and out-puts and choose the right tools to build the agent. Test and refine.

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Iwona Bak is a global talent and transformation leader with over a decade of experience building, scaling, and optimizing international teams across EMEA, AMER, and APAC. She has held senior leadership roles in recruitment and operations, managing organizations of over 250 people and multimillion-dollar budgets in fast-paced, technology-driven environments.

Today, Iwona focuses on AI implementations and AI trainings for businesses, helping organizations turn artificial intelligence into real, measurable results. She designs and deploys AI agents, automation workflows, and data-driven solutions across sales, HR, operations, and administration, while ensuring ethical, secure, and practical adoption. Her trainings combine hands-on exercises, real business use cases, and proven frameworks, enabling teams to immediately apply AI in their daily work.

We all want to talk about our work on social media, especially on LinkedIn. It’s a great way to connect with colleagues and build professional visibility. But for language professionals, posting about projects can feel like navigating a minefield of confidentiality, NDAs, and both clients’ and colleagues’ expectations.

This talk explores practical, ethical strategies for talking about translation and interpreting work on social media without breaching trust or turning your LinkedIn into a list of dates, locations, and word counts. We’ll explore how to shift the focus to more personal insights, and transferable takeaways. We will look into a social media approach that keeps confidentiality intact, supports a healthier online culture (without triggering unintended FOMO among colleagues), and helps you communicate your value beyond “just delivery.” Done well, it makes your work relatable to a wider audience, including potential clients.

You’ll leave with practical post ideas and creative inspiration: you can be visible online without sharing secrets, and you can promote your work by uplifting others.

Aleksandra is a trained conference interpreter and translator, and the founder of OLA Interpreting, where she focuses on quality management for large language regimes, and team leader training in institutional settings. She is also a PhD candidate at the University of Surrey, researching ethical interpreter–AI cooperation grounded in respect for the human dimension of the profession. In her previous role as Head of Interpretation Services at Interactio, she supported large international organisations by shaping interpretation delivery strategies for high-level multilingual projects.

Aleksandra is also a long-standing LinkedIn enthusiast, inspired by the unexpected connections and opportunities that followed her first posts about language projects five years ago. She has since seen how ethical, thoughtful posting can create meaningful recognition, lasting relationships, and genuine professional community. She is passionate about helping language professionals use social media to connect, grow visibility, and share their work safely.

Tired of shouting into the void with your marketing? Imagine having the clarity to know pretty exactly who your ideal clients are and speaking to them in a way that sparks their interest. With the support of AI, you’ll move beyond guesswork and generic messages. Define your unique customer profile, create vivid personas that feel real, and turn those insights into content that resonates—on LinkedIn, your website, or in your inbox.

No need to be a tech wizard. Discover how AI can help you play to your strengths, generate fresh ideas when inspiration runs dry, and keep your marketing focused—even on your busiest days. Expect honest advice, practical examples, and strategies you can put into action from day one.

Stop wasting energy on marketing that goes nowhere. Start building real connections and attracting clients who truly fit your business. No empty promises, just proven methods for freelancers who want their expertise to be seen and valued.

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With over 25 years in the translation industry, Peter Oehmen has always been curious about new technology. An early adopter of machine translation, AI, and automation, he uses these tools to make his work as a translator more efficient and less complicated. Peter knows firsthand the doubts and questions many language professionals have about AI. His mission: to show, through real-world examples, how artificial intelligence and automation can be practical allies—helping translators and interpreters save time, reduce stress, and focus on what matters most. At the core, Peter believes technology should help people connect and understand each other better. He is committed to honest dialogue and sharing the benefits of smart, targeted use of technology with his colleagues.

Search behavior, content creation, and the way the web is explored are changing rapidly with the rise of AI search. GEO is suddenly on everyone’s lips, and many voices claim that SEO is dead, but the reality is more nuanced: SEO is not disappearing, it is evolving. This talk looks at how SEO and AI-driven search actually work today and how they influence multilingual content. It outlines which skills translators already bring to the table, which new skills are worth developing, and how SEO translation and transcreation can open up new professional opportunities. Rather than promising easy wins, the session offers a realistic perspective on why SEO remains an exciting and evolving field for translators willing to adapt and grow.

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Magali Karee is a freelance translator and content strategist with more than 15 years of experience in search engine optimization (SEO), marketing, and translation. She specializes in SEO-optimized translations and transcreation from English and French into German, helping brands connect linguistic precision with digital performance. A former editor and deputy editorial director at one of Germany’s leading online platforms, she combines deep expertise in content creation and search. Magali is also co-founder of Saramatik, a creative collective for German advertising and brand language. In her downtime, she enjoys post-apocalyptic video games — because sometimes fighting zombies feels simpler than keeping up with Google updates. 

Food translation goes beyond words as it carries culture, taste, and emotion. This presentation examines how English food language moves across borders in recipes, digital writing, and literary texts. From untranslatable dishes to culturally charged textures like “chewy” or “moist,” translators face choices that shape both meaning and appetite. Participants will gain insight into creative strategies that preserve authenticity and flavor while allowing food to speak naturally in another language.

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Thei Zervaki is a linguist, translator, and seasoned traveler exploring the language of food across 50 countries.
Founder of The Hungry Bookshelf, she is blending global food stories, trends, and culinary translation with a lifelong passion for words. She is also a court, diplomatic and conference interpreter in English, French and Greek. She holds a BA in French, Masters in Linguistics, and Masters in Translation and Interpreting.
When she’s not working, she relaxes at the beach, browses vintage bookstores, and enjoys a glass of rosé wine.
She also blogs at Wedesserts.com

You’ve put in the work: you’ve defined your offer, delivered a consistent marketing strategy, and a potential client has finally said yes to a call. And then comes the part many freelancers secretly fear: the sales call. How should you approach it? How do you avoid sounding pushy, defensive, or unsure of your own value?
This session is designed for freelancers who want to improve this crucial step of the sales process and gain confidence in the process. We’ll break down what a successful sales call actually looks like, from the first minutes of rapport-building to the moment you discuss scope, pricing, and next steps.
We’ll dive into how to ask better questions that uncover real client needs, how to frame your expertise as a solution rather than a pitch, and how to respond to common objections around price, timing, or “needing to think about it.” We’ll also explore the crucial mindset shifts that will help you feel more confident and less pressured on a sales call.
Whether you’re new to freelancing or simply want to convert more leads into long-term clients, this talk will give you practical tools and a more human approach to selling so you can approach your next sales call feeling in control.

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Diana is a certified EN><ES legal translator and interpreter working with law firms and B2B clients. Alongside translation and interpreting, she provides SEO and copywriting services and supports small language service providers as a freelance Operations and Project Manager, helping them build sustainable systems, attract better clients, and manage projects more effectively.

With extensive experience in the UK translation and interpreting market and a background in the UK aviation industry, Diana brings a strong understanding of operations, customer service, and team leadership, as well as deep insight into British culture, ensuring her language services resonate with UK audiences.

After rebuilding her business during early motherhood, she developed a passion for marketing and business strategy. This led her to launch an end-to-end Translation Project Manager and Marketing Support service and to co-found DUAL, a marketing and business strategy hub for language professionals.

Now based in Madrid, Diana balances work with family life and enjoys training and running in nature.

What’s transcreation? Translation + creation.

But aren’t all translators able to offer creative adaptations? Probably.

And maybe some of you already are. But, in this workshop, we’ll go further into this topic to find out what’s the essence of transcreation, why this is an interesting specialization and what are the usual process in this kind of task.
Of course, we’ll look at some examples for you to understand better the exercise and see if you should explore that direction. Last but not least, I’ll give you some tips and tricks to succeed.

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Eric is a freelance copywriter and translator with twenty years’ experience. He began his career as a journalist before working in communications and teaching in France, as well as in England, Italy and Brazil. He now specializes in marketing translations and transcreation, particularly for commercials.
Always interested in education, he has been teaching at the University of Nice and Sciences Po Menton since 2023. He also offers two training courses for translators through Tradupreneurs: one on verbal communication and one on copywriting. And he created the #smartwriting program to help professionals enhance their writing skills.

Pricing ourselves in or out of jobs takes a lot of skill. You need to know how and when to hit the mark and that’s not aways obvious. Quote too much (goodbye job) or not enough (you just sold yourself too cheap!).

It’s all about playing games but first you have to know what the rules of the game are and they aren’t always the same with all clients. You may have to do some “back and forth” with a few clients and have a more direct approach with others (What is your budget exactly?).

You may think you don’t know how to negotiate because you don’t know enough about a new client. Think again – are they representing a lucrative company or are they an individual who has an urgent and sensitive piece of work? Already you have clues as to possible charging levels which you should be exploiting in your favour.

This session will teach you how to look out for useful client charging clues and how to have a pre – prepared set of responses to clients when you think that they are about to walk away.

This is a session that you can’t afford to miss!

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Sue Leschen is an entrepreneurial linguist and the Director of niche market company Avocate Legal and Business French Services Ltd. She is a Chartered Linguist and also a Fellow of both ITI and CIOL as well as a member of CIOL’s Professional Conduct Committee and their Interpreting Division Steering Group. Sue is also a member of ITI’s LIFT committee and one of ATC’s representatives at ISO discussions. She is an ad hoc chair for NRCPD disciplinary hearings and is currently learning BSL with difficulty!

This hands-on session moves beyond basic AI commands to master advanced prompting. Learn the 5-step Prompting Framework and critical techniques like Role Assignment and Few-Shot Prompting. Discover how to deploy RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) within your workflow to eliminate hallucinations and enforce consistent terminology and style, ensuring the human translator maintains core control over every machine-assisted translation.

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Sameh Ragab is an ISO 17100 Lead Auditor and Certified Translation Provider, CAT Tools and Terminology Management Expert, UN and World Bank Registered Translation Consultant (Freelance), DTP specialist, and Certified Localizer.

A renowned international speaker and trainer focusing on the technical side of translation, he has over 35 years of expertise in the translation and localization industry and he sets the benchmarks for quality work, with a focus on Arabic translations, localization and DTP services.

Struggling to attract new clients? One of the most powerful tools you can create for your business is a compelling, well-designed portfolio.
A portfolio is more than just a collection of your past work. It’s a carefully curated showcase of your expertise, creativity, and professionalism. When crafted thoughtfully, it can transform your business by making a lasting impression on potential clients and setting you apart from competitors.

By narrowing your focus to a specific niche, you position yourself as the go-to professional in your field. Instead of trying to appeal to everyone, you demonstrate deep knowledge and skill in one area, which builds trust and credibility. Clients searching for specialists are far more likely to choose someone who clearly understands their unique needs and market.

In this session, you’ll discover practical examples and actionable strategies to help you build or refine a portfolio that truly stands out. From selecting your strongest projects to presenting them in a visually engaging way, you’ll learn how to highlight your strengths and communicate your value effectively. These insights will not only make your work more appealing and relevant to future clients but also boost your confidence in presenting yourself.

With the right approach, your portfolio becomes a magnet for opportunities, helping you attract the kind of clients you want and grow your business with clarity and purpose.

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Ileana Cari is a translator, transcreator and copywriter certified by ANITI, DVÜD and SFT, with 20 years of solid experience. Founder of IC Translation Boutique, she manages multilingual projects involving a selected team of native-speaking professionals. Her distinctive trait? An approach that blends translation, transcreation and copywriting, enriched by a marketing-oriented touch. The result is exclusive, tailor-made content that enhances premium brands’ identities.

Specialising in the luxury sectors, such as beauty, fashion, hospitality and wellness, Ileana creates localised and creative messages that speak to the heart of the audience, transforming every word into an experience. Her translations do not merely convey meaning, but build cultural bridges and reinforce brand value.

As a consecutive interpreter, she supports Italian and international companies at trade fairs, events, meetings, company visits, training courses and even weddings. Whether in person or remotely, she offers linguistic consulting with elegance, empathy and precision. Her mission? To give voice to brands and people with style and authenticity.

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Ever wondered how much you should charge for a particular service? Hands up those who have ever asked a colleague or done some online research before setting their rates! But, how about if we tried a different approach?

Join us in this session on establishing sustainable rates that cover your own particular needs while reflecting your skills and also align with market expectations. We will explore practical tools and techniques to understand the value of your time, the different rate levels you need to establish, and how these translate into pricing models for the various services a translator or interpreter may offer.

We will also explore how to remain competitive in your market or niche and through effective market analysis techniques. Equally, we will cover persuasive negotiation tactics that allow you to sell your service while communicating your value effectively.

Whether you are a seasoned freelance or just starting out in the translation industry, this session will equip you with the tools you need to pricing sustainably and achieve better financial outcomes in your business model.

Diana Gordaliza is a certified EN><ES translator and interpreter specializing in legal work. She works with law firms and B2B clients, offering top-notch legal translation, SEO, and copywriting services. Her passion for marketing and her belief that there is a better more sustainable way to freelancing led her to create DUAL, an online Marketing for Translators Program in 2023, alongside her amazing colleagues Maite and Marian.
After a decade in the UK —where she gained invaluable experience and stories to share, Diana is now back in her home city of Madrid. She shares her lively household with her husband, three energetic young kids, and a dog whose energy knows no bounds.
When she’s not juggling work and family life, Diana loves to train or escaping to nature for a run. On quieter days (or moments!), you might spot her enjoying a perfectly brewed coffee in one of Madrid’s speciality coffee shops.
With a wealth of experience and a genuine passion for helping others succeed, Diana is here to share practical insights and connect with like-minded professionals.

Connect with me on dianagordaliza.com | programaempresarial.com

This presentation explores how translators can transform their professional experience into impactful training programs. Participants will learn how to design structured courses, market them effectively, and create sustainable revenue streams. Drawing on practical strategies and real-world examples, the session highlights ways to scale training offerings, engage learners, and establish a reputation as a trusted trainer.

Svitlana is a translator and localization expert with over 20 years of professional experience in the language services industry. She works with English–Ukrainian and English–Russian language pairs and specializes in IT and marketing translation. She holds a Master’s Degree in Philology from Oles Honchar Dnipro National University and has completed professional training in Marketing at NIMA, combining linguistic expertise with a strong understanding of market-driven communication. This cross-industry background allows her to bridge the gap between language quality, strategy, and commercial impact. Svitlana is the co-owner of the translation agency SI-Linguists, where she combines hands-on translation expertise with strategic management and business development. Alongside her agency work, she designs and delivers training programs for translators. She is a full member and mentor of the Ukrainian Association of Translators and a member of the American Translators Association (ATA), actively contributing to the professional growth of the translation community.

Inna is a translator and localization professional specializing in English–Ukrainian and English–Russian language pairs with more than two decades of experience in the language services industry. She holds Master’s degree in Philology and Master’s degree in Psychology, combining linguistic expertise with a strong understanding of human communication.
As co-owner of the translation agency and school for translators SI-Linguists she works closely with practising and aspiring translators, combining hands-on industry experience with structured training to prepare specialists for the realities of the translation market.
A key focus of her professional activity is reducing the gap between academia and the translation business by equipping translators with market-ready skills through training programs and mentoring initiatives. Inna is a full member and mentor of the Ukrainian Association of Translators and a member of the American Translators Association.