We were delighted to host the CIOL face to face Conference for 2026 at King’s College London in the iconic Bush House building (pictured) right in the heart of academic, commercial, cultural and legal London.
This was followed by our one-day CIOL Online Conference (see below).
For the 2026 Conference, we returned to the successful pre-2023 format of a single integrated in-person conference day for all linguists.
The single-day format meant delegates could save on travel and accommodation costs, and, with the dual stream format, there was plenty of content for translators and interpreters, as well as for linguists who work with their languages in other contexts such as teaching, academic research, consultancy and within organisations.
You can view the full programme here: CIOL in-person conference programme
Speakers
Opening session - The landscape for linguists in 2026
John Worne, CIOL CEO, Dom Hebblethwaite, Head of CIOL Membership and Dr Mariam Aboelezz, Vice-Chair of CIOL Council opened the Conference with their presentation which described a landscape which is shifting, but that the need for expert human language skills remains vital. This opening keynote set the tone for the conference, grounding the discussion in CIOL member insights and the diverse voices of real world linguists.
The opening presentation is available here.
Vasiliki Koui Prestidge - Technology integration: From challenge to competitive advantage
Vasiliki Koui Prestidge MCIL CL is the director of Greek to Me Translations Ltd, where she leads a team of translators and partner agencies to deliver high-quality language services worldwide. The company specialises in certified, legal, marketing, medical, and technical language services, as well as business and media interpreting, covering all sectors and regions.
She is a Chartered Linguist, member of the Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIOL) and the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI), and is registered with the Greek Consular Authorities in the United Kingdom as a certified translator and interpreter. She holds a BA in English Language and Linguistics and a Master’s in Business Translation and Interpreting. As a Member of Council of the CIOL and Board Member of the IoL Educational Trust, she contributes to the strategic direction of these organisations.
Vasiliki is also a Lecturer in Legal Translation and Languages at the School of Business and Law, London Metropolitan University, and a journalist for a major Greek digital media outlet, writing on business and finance with a focus on the fashion and luxury industries.
You can follow her on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.Vasiliki's presentation is available here.
Andrew Simpson - Multi-skilled, multilingual, multimodal: Can the modern linguist really do it all?
Andrew Simpson FCIL CL graduated with a modern language degree in 2006 before studying for an MA in Professional Translation for European Languages at Newcastle University the following year. Whilst studying for a PG degree he set up a boutique legal translation agency specialising in French within the legal sector whilst also studying for the DPSI qualification.
Andrew began lecturing at Newcastle University after his studies alongside building his own agency before being headhunted in 2013 to work as in-house French interpreter at Newcastle United for the raft of French-speaking players recruited at the time. This then led to work for a handful of other Premier League football clubs.
In 2016 he moved to Paris to live and work, opening up opportunities to interpret for the French Football Federation and Lyon Women's Team during their Champions League winning spell. He returned to Newcastle in 2020 and expanded his services to specialise in certified French medical translation with his agency French Medical Translators.
Andrew now works full-time as both a translator and interpreter in the legal and medical sectors as well as teaching interpreting on the T&I programme at Newcastle University.
Andrew's presentation is available here.
Ibrahim Kadouni - The Modern Linguist: Building New Identities in a Changing World
The AI revolution is reshaping every aspect of the language industry. Not only the tools we use, but the very nature of our professional roles. Traditional lines between translation, interpreting and consultancy are dissolving as automation takes over routine tasks, creating space for new kinds of expertise and leadership.
This talk will explore how linguists can evolve from service providers to language strategists – professionals who combine linguistic mastery with cultural insight, technological literacy and business acumen. Drawing on real-world examples, it will show how embracing AI – when combined with the right mindset – can unlock new opportunities in language consultancy, brand communication and multilingual strategy.
It will argue that this is not the end of human translation, but rather its evolution and transformation. The linguists who will thrive in this new era are those who collaborate with technology, reinvent their skills with curiosity and agility, and lead the conversation on what truly human communication means.
Ibrahim Kadouni MA MCIL CL is an experienced Arabic conference, diplomatic, and broadcast interpreter, translator, and interpreter trainer. He holds a Master’s degree in Translation Studies from SOAS University of London. Ibrahim collaborates with international organisations and leading think tanks, delivering high-level interpreting and translation services across a wide range of specialised domains. He has interpreted at major global events, including the World Economic Forum Annual Meetings, provided interpreting for world leaders, and translated three published books. He currently serves as an Associate Tutor of Interpreting at the University of Surrey and as an advisory board member of the translation program at Prince Sultan University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. You can follow Ibrahim on LinkedIn.
Ibrahim's presentation is available here.
Mariam Aboelezz - Universities and the future for training professional linguists
Dr Mariam Aboelezz MCIL CL is a Lecturer in Arabic Translation Studies at the University of Liverpool. She previously taught at University College London, Birkbeck College and Lancaster University. She also worked as an Arabic translator at the British Library for seven years.
Framed by the theme 'Today’s Linguists, Tomorrow’s World', Mariam's presentation reflects on how universities are responding to new drivers shaping professional-level and postgraduate language learning in a multilingual UK and a changing international market context. It considers what is currently happening across the sector, including the impact of AI on teaching, learning and professional practice, and changing student expectations. The talk explores the opportunities these shifts create for re-positioning technology in support of languages and for supporting new identities and changing professional roles in languages.
Mariam's research interests include Arabic linguistics, sociolinguistics and translation, and she has published a number of academic papers in these areas. She is particularly interested in the translation of cultural heritage. She has been a member of CIOL since 2007 and, in addition to a DipTrans from CIOL Qualifications, holds a PhD in Linguistics and MA in Language Studies from Lancaster University, and a BA in English Language from Ain Shams University in Egypt. She is passionate about promoting the teaching of non-European languages and fostering positive attitudes towards heritage languages in the UK. She is also eager to contribute towards improving professional standards for Arabic Public Service Interpreting.
Mariam's presentation is available here.
Diana Singureanu and Sabine Braun - University of Surrey Centre for Translation Studies: AI, technology and the spoken word - What are the risks and opportunities for public services and PSIs?
Diana Singureanu is a researcher at the Centre for Translation Studies, University of Surrey. She has studied video-mediated interpreting (VMI) in court settings and helped develop VMI standards and interpreter training through the EU-WEBPSI and EmpASR projects.
Diana holds a Masters in Translation Studies, a second Masters in Conference Interpreting and a DPSI Law. She also works as a Conference Interpreter and legal interpreter, is a member of CIOL Council and coordinator of CIOL's Interpreting Division. Recently, she was awarded a Leverhulme Fellowship to explore machine interpreting in legal contexts.
Sabine Braun is Professor of Translation Studies, Director of the Centre for Translation Studies at the University of Surrey and a Co-Director of the Surrey Institute for People-Centred Artificial Intelligence. Her research focuses on socio-technological practices of interpreting and audiovisual translation.
She has led several multi-national research projects on video-mediated interpreting and interpreting in virtual-reality environments (e.g., AVIDICUS 1-3, IVY, EVIVA) and is currently exploring the interaction and integration of human agency and machine intelligence in translation and interpreting to improve language access for linguistic-minority populations and other groups in need of communication support. She was recently a partner in the H2020 project MeMAD, which combined machine learning/AI and human input to explore the creation of semi-automatic descriptions of audiovisual content.
Sabine and Diana's presentation is available here.
Josephine Murray: For the love of languages: Translating across genres
Josephine Murray's presentation will cover translating books and literature, translating food, and a look at some inspirational translators.
Josephine is a graduate of the UEA MA in Literary Translation and a French to English literary translator specialising in children’s literature and culinary texts. Alongside this she is an award-nominated freelance journalist and Secretary to the PETRA-E Network, a pan-European organisation which promotes the training of literary translators. She has taught French, German and Spanish in secondary schools, and previously worked as a cook.
Her translation work includes three illustrated children’s non-fiction books by Manon Bucciarelli for Harper Collins and an Anne-Sophie Pic food memoir for Hachette.
After a Visiting Fellowship in the Archives and Collections at UEA studying the archive of prolific children’s literature translator and translators’ rights activist Patricia Crampton, Josephine is writing a book about Crampton’s work. Josephine founded and formerly chaired the CIOL Gloucestershire Network and is a member of the Society of Authors and the Translators’ Association. You can follow her on LinkedIn and Instagram.
Josephine's presentation is available here.
Maria-Elena Metaxas MCIL - For the love of languages: A life in languages
In this conference presentation, Maria-Elena Metaxas will talk about why languages matter, the bilingual brain, education and life-long learning, and why respect for languages and cultures is as important as ever.
Raised bilingually in Greek and English, Maria-Elena has taught French, German and Spanish, currently using languages within healthcare market research. Previous industry experience in consumer photography, commercial printing and aesthetic orthodontics established professional language fluency, unique skills and lifelong learning.
Dedicated to bilingual communication using a CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) approach, she continues to research effective pedagogical methods that facilitate language and grammar proficiency. Maria-Elena has chaired CIOL Education Society events and presented CPD webinars on multilingualism and cultural importance, aiming for today’s linguists to thrive in tomorrow’s world.
Maria-Elena's presentation is available here.
Lucas Nunes Vieira - AI Realities: Risks and Choices
Lucas Nunes Vieira has done extensive research on uses of AI translation in public services. Using case studies and practical examples from a survey of over 2,500 public service professionals, Lucas will consider the delicate balance of risks and benefits of using machine/AI translation in frontline communication tasks. His talk will examine some of the ethical dilemmas of AI translation in the public sector to highlight factors to consider in policy-making and in organisational language access strategies.
Lucas is Associate Professor in Translation Studies at the University of Bristol. He received a New Investigator Award from the UK’s Economic and Social Research Council and is a former Arts and Humanities Research Council Fellow. His book, Translate: Multilingual Access to Critical Services in the Age of AI, is coming out with Cambridge University Press in summer 2026. Lucas’s talk will be a preview of some of the topics discussed in the book.
Lucas's presentation is available here.
Closing panel discussion - Facing the Future
In our closing discussion, panellists synthesised the day’s insights and provide forward-looking perspectives on the evolving role of linguists in a rapidly changing global and technological landscape.
Anita van Adelsbergen MCIL CL - an experienced translator, conference interpreter, writer and speaker from the Netherlands. In her native country, alongside her career as a linguist, she has worked as an equestrian journalist and TV commentator for international broadcasters, including the Dutch national broadcaster NOS.
Anita was born into an international Dutch-Pakistani family and grew up speaking four languages. She works mainly with direct clients and specialises in assignments related to dogs and horses, yoga and ayurveda.
Anita is a Chartered Linguist, a Vice Chair of CIOL Council and Chair of the ED&I committee.
Emma Gledhill FCIL CL is an experienced linguist working from German, Dutch and French into English, a career she began after studying German, Music and later Translation Studies under renowned figures such as Peter Newmark and Margaret Rogers, and subsequently qualifying in localisation, and digital and technical communication. Since 1993, she has built a rich mix of freelance and in‑house experience within corporate language services, latterly specialising in localisation, UX and strategy. A long‑standing CIOL member, now a Fellow, she is active as a conference speaker, panellist and chair of the CIOL Membership Committee.
On CIOL Council, Emma draws on her broad industry insight to support linguists navigating an increasingly tech‑driven profession. Originally from SE England, Emma has lived in Switzerland since 2000.
Jaquelina Guardamagna FCIL CL is a Chartered English and Spanish translator, interpreter and founder of Translator in London Ltd, a UK-based consultancy specialising in high-value communications for the corporate, education, media and sustainability sectors since 2008.
Throughout her career, Jaquelina Guardamagna has worked through multiple technological shifts in the profession, from paper dictionaries and manual workflows to today’s AI-assisted environments. Rather than resisting change, she has consistently adapted, retrained and repositioned her practice to meet new demands while maintaining professional accountability.
A CIOL Fellow, shaped by a multicultural upbringing and international professional experience, Jaquelina brings a first-hand perspective on what it actually takes to survive, adapt and succeed as a language expert through repeated waves of change. You can follow her on: LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Steve Doswell MCIL CL - Chair of CIOL Council, Steve is an experienced linguist and corporate communication practitioner with extensive experience spanning energy, power engineering, robotics, financial services and higher education.
He has also had experience as a translator (French/German-English) and became a CIOL member in the 1990s after completing the Final Diploma in Spanish. He has been President of FEIEA, the European Association of Internal Communication and CEO of the UK’s Institute of Internal Communication (IoIC).
Steve recently had his book: 'Running Me: Running EU' published, which shares his experiences of the diverse languages and cultures of Europe experienced whilst running in all 28 EU countries for charity.
A summary of the closing panel is available in the Summer 2026 issue of The Linguist
You can view the full online programme here
Speakers
Anna Rioland - More than words: How wellbeing drives adult language learning
Why do adults decide to learn a new language – and what helps them stay motivated when life is already full of responsibilities? This presentation explores the powerful connection between language learning and wellbeing, showing how emotions, confidence, and a sense of belonging play just as important a role as grammar and vocabulary. Drawing on real experiences from the classroom, as well as insights from Positive Psychology, we will look at how adult learners flourish when their core needs for autonomy, competence, and social connection are supported.
Anna shared practical, easy-to-apply strategies for creating enjoyable, low-anxiety lessons that build confidence and help learners experience moments of flow and achievement. The presentation also explores how cultural engagement, curiosity, and supportive communities enrich the learning journey – both for students and teachers. Attendees left with new perspectives and ready-to-use techniques for making adult language learning a more motivating, meaningful, and joyful experience for everyone involved.
Anna Rioland is a Chartered Linguist specialising in adult language learning, translation and language-related AI projects with over 15 years’ experience teaching German, French and Russian, currently teaching at City Lit (London). She has designed and delivered specialist courses in translation, literature and German history, and also works extensively as an examiner and exam text author. Alongside her teaching career, she runs a translation and localisation business, Meridian Translations, and contributes to AI language projects as a creative linguist, editor and evaluator. Passionate about languages and teaching, she is committed to supporting learners’ confidence, wellbeing and progression. Her qualifications include the DipTrans, MCIL, an MA in Translation from Heidelberg University, a Master’s degree from ESCP, and the CELTA teaching qualification.
Anna's session is available on YouTube here.
Marilena Iannidinardi - Interpreting for the EU
Marilena Iannidinardi provides an overview of trends in interpretation at the European Commission. She addresses the recruitment needs, the profile being sought and the recruitment process. She also touches on the current challenges facing the conference interpreting profession. Crucially, Marilena clarifies a common misconception: while staff positions require EU nationality, around 50% of interpreting work at the Commission is carried out by freelancers and there are no nationality restrictions for freelance accreditation. The EU institutions actively recruit interpreters from the UK, the US, South Africa and beyond. With ongoing outreach efforts to maintain strong links with interpreters with English, this session offers essential guidance for anyone considering a career interpreting for the EU.
Marilena Iannidinardi is Deputy Head of the English and Irish Unit of the European Commission’s interpreting service (DG SCIC) and interprets from French, Italian, Spanish and German into English. She grew up in Rochdale, in the Northwest of England, in an Italian and English speaking family. She studied French and Italian at the University of Leeds graduating in 2000. After spending some time teaching English in France, she returned to the University of Leeds to complete a Masters in Interpreting and Translating in 2003/4. She passed the EU accreditation tests in July 2004 and began working as a freelance interpreter, until 2008, when she passed an open competition and was offered a post as a staff interpreter. She was appointed Deputy head of the English and Irish unit in March 2022.
Marilena's session is available on YouTube here.
Martín Chamorro - AI for Translators: Where Are We Now?
The world of AI and large language models (LLMs) continues to evolve at a remarkable pace, and translators face a challenging market but also new opportunities with these tools. In this session, Martín Chamorro explores the current state of generative AI tools and their practical applications for translation professionals. He shares insights from his own ongoing experimentation, highlights emerging best practices, and examines capabilities that have transformed workflows over the past year.
Martín also reflects on how attitudes within the profession have shifted, from initial apprehension towards a more strategic embrace of AI as a resource. In a follow-up to his hugely popular webinar on AI from April 2025, Martín offers a timely opportunity to refine your understanding and develop a more structured, purposeful approach to integrating LLMs into your daily work.
Martín Chamorro MCIL is a self-confessed 'AI nerd', a facilitator, translator and reviewer based in Buenos Aires. He describes himself as largely self-taught, curious, practical and communicative, and with languages, AI and numbers at the top of his intellectual interests. He is a Board Member of his Translators’ Association (AATI), an ATA and CIOL member, and collaborates with different translators' organisations and universities.
Martin's session is available on YouTube here.
Danny Bate - How did English spelling end up like this?
The English language’s system of spelling, despite being increasingly present across the globe, does not enjoy a positive reputation. One of the modern world’s major languages is sharing vocabulary like debt, knee, salmon and receipt with more people than ever before, and then telling them not to pronounce the letters B, K, L and P! Written English’s many distinctive characteristics – such as letters each representing numerous sounds, letters representing no sound, and duos and trios of letters working together to represent a single sound – frustrate native readers and adult learners alike, and they seem a grievous departure from the principle of ‘one letter for one sound’. But how did we end up here?
Dr Danny Bate, linguist and author of the book Why Q Needs U, offers a journey into English spelling that illuminates these tricky aspects of the system of writing you’re reading right now. Combining linguistic and historical research with an accessible style, he examines the engine of spelling, identifying in particular two broad themes that can explain so much: the distinctive history of English speech, and the distinctive history of English speakers. Awareness of both shines a favourable light on our spelling today; it is far from graphic anarchy. Rather, it is an ancient testament to linguistic innovation and human ingenuity, which reflects the lives and language of the generations through whose hands it has passed.
Following a BA and MPhil, Danny studied for a PhD with the University of Edinburgh, graduating in 2024. His specialisms are historical languages, the Indo-European language family, and word order. Over the course of his time at university, he also pursued a passion for public linguistics – sharing the field with a general audience, through text, audio and video. This vocation has most recently expressed itself through Why Q Needs U, a new book about the alphabet and the English language, endorsed by Stephen Fry, Susie Dent, The Sunday Times and The Economist. Danny also runs the linguistic podcast ‘A Language I Love Is…’, and worked for a year as a radio presenter in the Czech Republic.
Danny's session is available on YouTube here.
Gabriella Ferenczi - Positioning for the future: How linguists can market their unique value today
Freelance linguistic work is undergoing profound change. With AI reshaping workflows and client expectations, many linguists feel uncertain about how to sustain their careers or differentiate their expertise. This session explores practical, realistic ways to adapt - without needing to become a full-time marketer or chase every new trend. Gabriella looks at modern, sustainable approaches to self-marketing that move beyond traditional “tips and tricks” to focus instead on what genuinely works today. She explores how to redefine value through niche specialisation, reposition services to highlight uniquely human strengths, and build resilience through collaboration, small partnerships, and micro-collectives.
She also touches on how to recognise when a freelance path no longer feels viable on a personal level - and how to pivot your skills into adjacent roles and careers where linguistic expertise remains in high demand. Rather than offering quick fixes, this talk provides a grounded perspective on how freelance linguists can move through a shifting profession with confidence, purpose, and a renewed sense of professional identity, while ensuring the right marketing principles and tools are in place to convert prospects into buyers, in 2026 and beyond.
Gabriella Ferenczi MCIL CL, CMktr MCIM FHEA is a German and Hungarian language coach. She lives in London, Uk, where she runs a boutique language training company called ProLingua Global, and works as a Lecturer in Marketing at Coventry University London. In late 2020, she launched Thrive Online, an online space with free marketing tips and tools for language professionals who don’t like tech. It’s a place where they can find practical guidance and step-by-step help to turn more online browsers into buyers. You can follow Gabriella on LinkedIn.
Gabriella's session is available on YouTube here.
Gerard Lysaght - How to protect your most valuable asset: reputation management in a world of social media
Protecting our reputation is becoming more challenging for individual professionals and language service providers, due in no small part to the impact of social media. Professional reputations can be damaged in lots of other less dramatic ways, too, such as unexpected IT problems impacting services to clients.
This presentation is based on my extensive experience of working in public relations roles for multinational and multilingual companies, where crisis communications and reputational risk management were key parts of my job. It will highlight potential reputation risks for language professionals and show real-life examples of how to respond effectively in the event of a crisis situation. More importantly, it will share practical steps you can take to ensure that the reputation risk in your language business is reduced as much as possible.
Gerard Lysaght provides English-language editing, proofreading and content creation services to clients across a range of industries.
Following an extensive career in journalism and corporate communications, he also trains and mentors the next generation of journalists through the English for Journalism Professionals course that he teaches as part of the BA degree programme in Journalism and Media Management at the University for Applied Science in Vienna (FH Wien der WKW). Gerard holds an MA in Russian and French from Trinity College Dublin.
Gerard's ssession is available on YouTube here.
Ilenia Goffredo - Diversifying the language profession: adapting to new definitions of value
As the language industry evolves, diversification has become less of a buzzword and more of a strategic necessity. Shifting client expectations and changing definitions of value and market dynamics are leading linguists and language companies to rethink how and where they contribute.
Shaped by challenges faced across the translation industry, this talk explores how linguists and language companies can expand their roles beyond traditional translation without abandoning linguistic rigour. It examines practical diversification pathways, from specialisation and advisory work to services grounded in linguistic expertise that sit closer to clients’ strategic goals. The session reframes ‘diversification’ as a mindset shift: from delivering language as a product to applying language expertise as a strategic resource. Attendees will leave with pragmatic insights into how to diversify intentionally, protect their core expertise and remain relevant in a rapidly changing language landscape.
Ilenia Goffredo is the co-founder and Managing Director of LingBox, a London-based multilingual translation business supporting businesses and organisations with specialised language solutions. With over 15 years of experience in the translation industry, she is also a Chartered linguist and an active member of the Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIOL). A regular speaker at industry events, Ilenia contributes to strengthening professional standards and best practice within the translation industry. She holds a Master’s degree in Interpreting (Conference and PSI) and a Bachelor’s degree in Translation and Liaison Interpreting.
Ilenia's session is available on YouTube here.
