Same Table, Other Side: A Client-to-Vendor AMA for the Future of Localization (Part 2)

GALA Special Interest Groups

GALA SIGs are global communities that connect members on topics of shared interest led by volunteer moderators. Meet the moderators for the Client SIG.

Julia Carrasco, Coupa

Julia oversees Localization Program Management at Coupa, where she coordinates various teams, identifies software support requirements, and maintains effective cost control. With over a decade of experience on both the client and the service provider sides, Julia has consistently prioritized optimizing processes to achieve outstanding results. She is also an active member of Women in Localization.

Esther Curiel

Esther Curiel is Diagnostics Globalization Manager at animal health leader Zoetis, where she leads localization and global-readiness initiatives. She has over 15 years’ experience building successful teams, enabling global growth, and breaking down communication barriers for global brands. She enjoys collaborating cross-functionally and bringing technology, content strategy, and global user experience together. Esther is a frequent speaker at industry events, and an active participant in globalization innovation.

Agnes Schöndorni-Schönner, GoTo Technologies Germany GmbH

Fuelled by a passion for connecting people and products across languages and cultures, Agnes thrives where technology and creativity intersect. With over a decade at GoTo (former LogMeIn), she started as a localization leader at a fast-growing startup and helped scale global efforts across UI, marketing, and documentation. Her role has evolved alongside the company, taking her across borders and into a global team where she now oversees web and marketing localization, with a focus on international SEO and driving major tech initiatives. 

Prior to GoTo, Agnes honed her expertise with 10 years on the LSP front, mastering the entire localization cycle – marketing translations, editing, project management, vendor management, and terminology. This extensive foundation helps her shape a holistic view on how people and technology work together.

 Diego Cresceri is the CEO and Founder of Creative Words, a language services company based in Italy. With over 20 years in the language industry, he has worked as translator, PM, and COO before launching his own company in 2016. Former President of ELIA and current Advisory Board member of CLIA, Diego is a regular speaker on AI, entrepreneurship, and the future of language services.

Johan Botha is an African language solutions expert and localisation strategist with more than 20 years in the language services industry. As Director of Folio Online and Folio InterTel, he works across African-language localisation, interpreting, multimedia and AI-assisted language services, with experience covering more than 100 languages. He is a co-founder and board member of the Association of Language Companies in Africa (ALCA) and was named a 2025 Language Industry Influencer by MultiLingual Magazine. His current work focuses on the practical use of AI in African localisation, language quality, workflow automation and building stronger African participation in the global language industry. Johan is based in Cape Town and regularly speaks on African localisation, technology and the changing role of language companies.

Ricard Sierra runs Kobalt in Barcelona, where a small senior team owns localization end to end for global brands. He's been automating Kobalt's operations since 2016, long before agents had a name. His position: AI made translation cheap and judgment scarce, and most of the industry is still pricing the wrong one.

Vasso Pouli has spent 20+ years in localization, on the vendor side of the industry. Studied to become a linguist, worked as a translator and project manager, moved into Operations which she loved and then led Commit Global through growth and M&A as a CEO. Currently serving as Director of Sales and Marketing at Sandberg Translation Partners, a leading UK-based LSP specializing in Nordic languages, where she oversees client services for enterprise buyers. She's been a consistent presence in the wider industry community over the years, participating in various industry events as program committee member, speaker, and attendee, and mentors through Women in Localization (where she previously led the Greece chapter's mentorship program) and Women on Top. Vasso has been writing regularly on localization strategy and the future of the industry. 

Her take: We have been optimizing ourselves into a corner and creating relays while banning agency. Moving too far from the source limits understanding and limited understanding limits agency.