Top Voices: The Global Insights Exchange

Hosted by International Achievers Group

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Aug 2026

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About the show

Conversations with global thought-leaders on the future of globalization and localization. An initiative brought to you by International Achievers Group. Share. Learn. Network. Humanize. Grow. Top Voices: The Global Insights Exchange is a unique globinar initiative designed to amplify the untold stories, challenges, and future aspirations of global decision-makers whose work impacts or intersects with the localization and globalization industry. Our innovative globinar concept bridges the gap between global buyers (clients) and Localization Service Providers, sparking insightful discussions that inspire, enlighten, and inform. The mission for ”Top Voices” remains steadfast: to create a dynamic platform for global players and influencers to share their experiences, humanize perceptions and drive thought leadership within localization and globalization communities. Through engaging conversations, centred around humanizing personal narratives, industry challenges, and future outlooks, our globinar offers unparalleled value to its attendees.

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25 recent

August 17, 2026Episode 2546 min

Episode 25: Lady Chinyere Ihuoma Ekomaru PhD, Deputy Governor, Imo State

Paula McGrath and Bruno Herrmann continue their virtual travel in Africa to talk to Lady Chinyere Ihuoma Ekomaru PhD, Deputy Governor of Imo State in Nigeria. It was another opportunity to take the pulse of a fast growing country in a fast moving continent. And this conversation was nothing short of amazing. Lady Chinyere Ihuoma Ekomaru PhD was best positioned to share a realistic and inspiring overview of how her state and her country identified the challenges in various sectors and industries while defining the way to turn them into opportunities in the short and long run. So, she highlighted where Nigeria could and should invest both from an economic and human perspective. Like the previous African guest, she also insisted on why African countries must take control of their own development and define growth priorities, ranging from digital economy and agriculture to industrial capabilities and food industry. Regional and local talent is critical to make political decisions come true. Thank you so much Lady Chinyere Ihuoma Ekomaru PhD for sharing your views on the current state of Nigeria and your wishes for its future. It is another Top Voices episode available now on our usual platforms.

July 29, 2026Episode 2457 min

Episode 24: Kenneth Amaeshi, Professor of Sustainable Finance & Chair in Transnational Governance (Global South) @ European University Institute

Top Voices does not stop travelling virtually. After leaving Australia, Paula McGrath and Bruno Herrmann landed in Africa to talk about this continent that is fascinating, exciting and challenging in many ways. Fascinating with its diversity of languages, cultures, environments and people. Exciting with its huge potential to create, accelerate and grow in many industries. Challenging with its willingness to attract foreign investments while financing in its own development and future. Therefore, it was a pleasure to be advised and guided by Prof. Kenneth Amaeshi, Professor of Sustainable Finance & Chair in Transnational Governance (Global South) at the European University Institute. He shared impressive and actionable insights about how Africa gains traction and respect in a number of areas such as talent management, international relationships and economic advancement. Join us for this captivating discussion with Kenneth Amaeshi and listen to this new episode of Top Voices brought to you by International Achievers Group .

July 8, 2026Episode 231 hr 6 min

Episode 23: Diether J. Runge, Co-Founder, VP Global Strategy & Business Development @ Boostlingo

Traveling without moving… This could be the tagline of Top Voices at this point. After the US, Canada, The Netherlands, the UK, Austria, Germany, Ireland and Saudi Arabia - and before Nigeria soon - Paula and Bruno made a virtual stop in Australia to talk to Dieter J. Runge. As always, it was a very informal and informative discussion with so much… fun. Dieter is definitely the type of person who makes you comfortable in a couple of minutes. Whether it is about the Down Under way of life, the benefits of international travel or the impact of AI on our ways of working and thinking, he can cover any topic in an engaging way. The main topic was interpretation of course as Boostlingo is a world leader in that space. It is one of the business services that shows the real value of the human edge while leveraging AI-driven automation. Interpretation has to convey multilingual and multicultural content in an accurate and resonating fashion. And that is exactly what Dieter is committed to delivering. Do you feel like getting a fresh perspective on interpretation coming straight from Australia? Listen to this episode brought to you by International Achievers.

June 18, 2026Episode 2240 min

Episode 22: Matt Grotenstein, Vice President North America @ GTE Localize

From Hanoi to Boston… Paula and Bruno did not travel for this Top Voices episode but they spoke with someone who did. Matt Grotenstein from GTE Localize, who is a veteran in the language industry, shared his background and his journey in the Eastern and Western part of the world. As Vice President North America, he also shared his perspective on language services today as well as the challenges and opportunities in this field. This is one of the reasons why he started LocReset discussions in 2026, exchanging with leaders and practitioners in multilingual content management. Matt is also a LocLunch Ambassador in Boston. Find out more about Matt’s inspiring story, reflecting his continued adaptation to change and his in-depth knowledge of international business management.

May 14, 2026Episode 2156 min

Episode 21: Mirko Lorenz, Innovation Manager @ Deutsche Welle

Top Voices podcasts have been focused on diversity from the outset. Paula McGrath and Bruno Herrmann have had the opportunity to talk to leaders in a variety of functions, roles, locations and industries so far. This new episode is no exception as they welcome Mirko Lorenz. Mirko is an Innovation Manager with Deutsche Welle, one of the major content creators and broadcasters in Europe. He is also the Co-founder and Chairman of Datawrapper and he combines two passions: journalism and technology. Deutsche Welle manages and delivers content in 7 core languages (Arabic, Mandarin, English, German, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, and Russian) in addition to news and information in 23 other languages. Therefore, Mirko knows what it takes to build an ecosystem and use tools producing multilingual content effectively in an engaging, meaningful and relevant way for international audiences. During this conversation, Mirko explains why content management is crucial for the media industry and how he has ended up in his current position in this Germany-based organization that is well known all over the world. And, of course, he shares his perspective on how AI plays out in the automation of processes and workflows while keeping humans in the center. Listen to this episode to find out how Deutsche Welle stands out in the field of international broadcasting. Und Viel Spaß!

March 31, 2026Episode 2051 min

Episode 20: Véronique Özkaya, Chief Executive Officer @ DATAmundi

Another conversation with a CEO of a truly global company! But not any CEO. And not any company. This episode of Top Voices was a wonderful opportunity to talk to one of the most famous CEOs of one of the most innovative companies that really moves the needle in the AI age. A company that enables organizations to get and enhance the data they need to train their model(s) cost and time effectively. You guessed it. Paula McGrath and Bruno Herrmann were delighted to welcome Véronique Özkaya from DATAmundi in the recording studio in Dublin, Ireland. And what a discussion it was! Véronique is second to none to explain why everything starts and thrives with data when it comes to AI-enriched processes and ecosystems. Creating and managing data that meets accuracy, relevance and trustworthiness requirements must be based on expertise and experience. Please check this episode to know more about how Véronique Özkaya and DATAmundi are leaders in the field of data effectiveness.

March 4, 2026Episode 1953 min

Episode 19: Lorcan Malone, Chief Executive Officer @ XTM International

It was a real pleasure to talk to Lorcan Malone about his international journey, impressive background and what XTM has in store in the near future. There could be no better moment to discuss trends and challenges in global content and product management with such a global CEO. XTM has been one of the first major players in the language technology industry to build a vision grounded in ecosystems and to deliver on it. So, no surprise that this company is well known for helping customers with robust solutions to create truly multilingual and multimodal experiences. Do not miss this episode to find out more about Lorcan Malone and his perspective on the changing times we are going through.

February 18, 2026Episode 181 hr 1 min

Episode 18: Amer Qobti, Arabic Localization Expert

Sharing the perspective of a global citizen on translation, localization and the language industry in Saudi Arabia and beyond. Join us in this episode of the Top Voices Podcast as Amer Qobti, Arabic Localization Expert, shares his journey and insights with Paula McGrath, CEO of International Achievers Group, and co-host Bruno Herrmann, Strategic Advisor of International Achievers Group. Find out how this true global citizen considers the evolution of multilingual content and the value of such content in business and human relationships. This episode is packed with great insights for anyone interested in the role of translation and localization within global content and product management in Saudi Arabia and beyond. Key Discussion Points: • Language expertise: translation and localization professionals go way beyond words and create engaging experiences for local audiences. • Leading role of Saudi Arabia in the language industry: the country stands out on the global scene by developing skills and investing in innovation. • AI and localization: the balance between AI-driven automation and human-led augmentation is key to elevate localization as a value creator and to integrate it in global content operations.

December 12, 2025Episode 171 hr 2 min

Episode 17: David Webb, VP Global Enterprise Sales @ XTM International

From Afterthought to Infrastructure: How AI Is Changing Localization, Roles, and Enterprise Expectations In this episode of the Top Voices Podcast, hosts Paula McGrath and Bruno Herrmann sit down with David Webb, Vice President of Global Enterprise Sales at XTM International, for an honest discussion on where language technology is heading—and what enterprises are getting wrong about AI. David explains why AI has “put translation on the map” at executive level, but also why the hard part is turning buzzwords into operational value. The conversation explores ecosystem-driven language management, internal evangelism, and the shift toward data-centric roles like Language Data Manager and AI Strategist—while stressing that multilingual AI can’t succeed without deep language expertise. Highlights Include: ➞ The AI Reality Check: “What does AI mean to you?” and why that question matters ➞ Enterprise Buying Shifts: How conversations have changed in the last 24 months ➞ The Cost Myth: The danger of “zero-cost translation” and its impact on talent and quality ➞ Language as Art + Science: Why data scientists need language experts (and vice versa) ➞ Solutions vs Services: How positioning changes internal adoption and ROI visibility ➞ The Internal Evangelist: Helping localization leaders sell value across legal, product, and marketing ➞ Partnership Mindset: Trust, transparency, and consultative sales in language tech If you work in localization, language technology, AI, or global content operations—this episode is packed with practical framing you can use immediately. An initiative brought to you by International Achievers Group: https://internationalachieversgroup.com/

November 6, 2025Episode 161 hr 19 min

Episode 16: Peter Madahian, General Manager @ Exacta & President of the Canadian Language Industry Association

AI, Community Interpreting, and the Future of Canada’s Language Industry In this episode, Peter Madahian, General Manager at Exacta and President of the Canadian Language Industry Association (CLIA), joins hosts Paula McGrath and Bruno Herrmann to explore how Canada’s language sector is evolving in an era of AI, austerity, and global change. Peter shares his unexpected journey from studying psychology and working in mental-health interpreting to leading one of Canada’s most respected community-interpreting firms and representing nearly 100 language companies nationwide. Building Canada’s Language Landscape Peter offers an inside look at the Canadian Language Industry Association, its role in promoting ethics, quality, and linguistic diversity, and how community interpreting supports healthcare, immigration, and legal systems across more than 160 language pairs including newcomer and Indigenous languages. AI, Policy, and Market Shifts Discover how AI is reshaping translation and interpreting, from operational efficiencies and data analytics to government-built translation engines. Peter explains how Canada’s federal budget cuts and tariff changes are transforming both public and private-sector demand for language services. From Vendor to Value Partner The conversation dives into how language service providers can move up the value chain, transitioning from low-margin, per-word pricing to trusted partnerships that add measurable business value. Peter, Paula, and Bruno also debate the notion of “educating the client,” and why collaboration, not lecturing, is key to building lasting trust. Future Outlook From Canada’s new AI ethics standards to emerging opportunities in language data, defence, and technology, Peter shares why smaller, agile LSPs can still thrive if they invest in people, training, and partnerships at home and abroad. This episode is essential listening for anyone interested in AI in translation, community interpreting, or the future of language services in Canada and beyond. An initiative brought to you by International Achievers Group https://internationalachieversgroup.com