Top Voices: The Global Insights Exchange

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!

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.

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.

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.

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/ [https://internationalachieversgroup.com/]