Profile

Core strengths

My “five-star” services – translation, editing, terminology, consulting, and training – build on three things:

Many years of experience,
In-depth specialist knowledge, and
First-rate English language skills.

Experience

Before setting up my current business in 2016, I co-owned and -managed a leading boutique translation company in Germany for twenty years, producing English-language annual reports, IPO prospectuses, and more for premium clients. Among other things, I developed and was responsible for the company's leading-edge quality and training systems, developing quality-first procedures, teaching over 150 staff members, and revising output. Prior to that, I built and ran the corporate language services department for a major German software house. I also previously worked as a communications specialist/editor, technical writer, staff translator, and lexicographer for well-known German companies. This broad range of roles has given me insights across the language services chain in a variety of client industries.

Knowledge

In addition to my academic and professional qualifications, my many years as a specialist service provider to major companies have given me a thorough grounding in the areas I translate. This ongoing work, continuous professional development, and the public and in-house seminars I teach keep me abreast of the fast-moving areas I work in.

English language skills

Born and raised in the United Kingdom, I also regularly spend time in the United States and am familiar with both language variants. A passionate practitioner and teacher of good English style and communication, I capture both message and tone, and adapt target texts to specific audiences if appropriate. In line with this quality-first approach, I translate only into my mother tongue.

Customer satisfaction

Much of my work comes from long-standing business relationships and referrals – a clear vote of confidence. Current clients include leading enterprises and financial institutions, accounting firms, lawyers, and communications agencies.

Although many of them wish to remain anonymous, the genuine reactions under What clients are saying show how I’ve helped them and what you can expect from me, too. Refresh the pages or navigate through the site and the quotes will change.

Education and qualifications

I have an MA in Law and Oriental Studies from the University of Cambridge and have also passed the UK Institute of Linguists' Diploma in Translation (DipTrans)
and the Staatliche Prüfung (translation exam) set by the German State of Hesse. My knowledge of finance and reporting comes from the Amsterdam Institute of Finance’s “Foundations of Finance” summer school, among many other courses, plus more than three decades of work with leading-edge clients. Eight-and-a-half years at an international software house gave me a grounding in the technology that underpins today's business world. And the experience gained from designing courses for, and training, over 150 in-house staff plus many external seminar participants has made me a well-known practitioner in this field. Last but not least, my own continuous professional development activities include national and international training courses in my specialist areas and in general management, tools, and soft skills.

Industry activities

I belong to Germany’s Bundesverband der Dolmetscher und Übersetzer (BDÜ), where I am a member of the Beruf und Markt national working group, and am an Associate Member of the American Translators Association (ATA). I have spoken repeatedly at national and international industry events, and also write about language industry developments, translation quality, and the skills that successful translators need (News). In the more distant past I was a member of the subcommittee that developed the now-superseded German translation standard, DIN 2345 (Translation Contracts), and served on the boards of German and European terminology associations. I was also the project manager for the EU’s POINTER project (1995/6) and the editor of the LISA (Localisation Industry Standards Association) Newsletter.