Professional Profile

Shortly after receiving my Degree in Translation (1991), I was hired by MSS, a local IBM partner. I worked for this company 8 years: 5 as a full-time translator and 3 as a localization project manager. Also during that time, I was designated to conduct eight software tests of IBM products at different IBM laboratories in the United States. This gave me a great opportunity to work closely with the developers.

Eight years later, it was time for me to seek new horizons. So in 2000, I became a freelance translator. All my previously acquired knowledge of IBM tools and procedures made my life easier in the outside world. A website and the Google magic did the rest, and my first clients soon started to request my services. By that time, I had also started to work as a lecturer in a master's degree program at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.

In 2003, I co-founded a company called ARELTA with Núria Casasayas —my wife and mother of our lovely son—, who happens to be a professional translator with an identical profile: she holds a Degree in Translation and has 14 years of experience in the translation and localization industry. Currently, each of us work in their own office at home, serving our clients with the same enthusiasm as the first day.

My clients say I am a careful translator and a friendly person to work with. I feel grateful for their trust, and fortunate to have a rewarding profession that allows me to keep learning every day.

Localization Project manager

I worked as a localization project manager for MSS from 1997 to 2000. The following lists my responsibilities and achievements during that period:

• QA responsible for the Spanish department
• Managed INT'L.com account (a world-leading company offering global localization services)
• Managed over 30 large translation projects
• Featured project: 700,000 words (17,500 pages approx.), completed in 60 days (Intel Corporation)
• Performed translator recruitment of over 80 graduate translators
• Conducted 7 technical training courses (15h each) for recruited translators, focused on computer-aided translation tools and tasks involved in software localization
• Managed a number of on-site translators/specialists and over 30 freelance translators.

Software Tester

I conducted 8 Product Verification Tests at different IBM laboratories in the USA, as shown in the table below. Both focusing on linguistic and functional issues, my responsibilities included:

• Ensuring overall functionality of the software application
• Localization of panels, dialogs, menus and help files
• Ensuring consistency between software and help files
• Managing changes and updates
• Product sign-off prior to manufacturing.

Lecturer in a Master's Degree Program

I work as a lecturer in the Máster en Tradumática: Traducción y Localización since its origins in 2002. This master's degree program, organized by the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (Spain), brings the IT world to translation professionals. Previously, I had also collaborated as a lecturer in the former 'Postgraduate in Tradumática: New Translation Technologies' at the same university (1999-2001).

As a specialist in translation and localization, I have been invited to conduct other courses and presentations in a number of companies, associations and universities, such as the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya and the Universitat Jaume I de Castelló.

University Degree

• Degree in Translation from English and Russian into Spanish (Faculty of Translators and Interpreters of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain, 1987-1991)
• Postgraduate in Russian Language and Literature (Pushkin Institute, Moscow, 1990-1991).

Memberships

Member No. 192 of the APTIC Professional Translators Association.