Recap
ELIA Focus on Executives 2026:
Reframing Value and Leadership
O
n May 14–15, 2026, ELIA’s Focus on Executives returned for its 10th edition, bringing language industry leaders to Chania, Crete, for two days of strategic dialogue, executive reflection, and high-level peer exchange. Designed exclusively for owners, CEOs, managing directors, and senior decision-makers, the event focused on one of the industry’s defining challenges: how to create, communicate, and defend value in today’s market.
Under this year’s theme, “Inside Executive Decision-Making: Creating Value and Growth in an AI-Shaped Industry,” the program explored both sides of the executive equation: how buyers assess value today and how leaders in language services position, communicate, and defend that value in increasingly complex markets.
Day one featured sessions led by Tommaso Rossi from Spotify, who explored “When Localisation Works” from a client-side perspective. Drawing on Spotify’s experience, discussions examined how localization is evolving from a delivery function into a strategic business capability connected directly to growth, product strategy, user engagement, and market expansion. The sessions reinforced that AI is no longer simply a technology conversation but a strategic one centered on experimentation, integration, and long-term value creation.
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Day two turned toward the psychology of executive influence with Alexander Freeland’s track, “Influencing Value and Choice.” Through practical discussions, role-based exercises, and an Executive World Café, participants explored how credibility, social proof, trust, and perceived risk shape decisions long before procurement or pricing discussions begin.
The event concluded with the panel discussion “Clash of the Titans: Who Shapes the Decision — Seller or Buyer?” featuring both event speakers, along with Tayo Ademolu, CEO of Translayte, and Gerd Janiszewski, CEO and owner of BoardXpert. The discussion emphasized that sustainable business relationships are built not through transactional negotiation but through transparency, preparation, and shared long-term value.
Across two focused days, Focus on Executives 2026 explored what future-ready leadership looks like in an industry heavily influenced by AI. The event consistently returned to one central idea: Organizations that succeed will be those that combine technological adaptability with stronger relationships, clearer positioning, and a deeper understanding of client realities.
Beyond the sessions, the Welcome Dinner at the Thalassa Restaurant and Networking Dinner at Sapel Hall on the Agia Marina created opportunities for attendees to continue conversations in a more informal setting and strengthen relationships through candid discussion and shared experiences.
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To everyone who joined us for #ELIAExecs 2026, thank you for making this milestone 10th edition such a memorable experience. A
special thank you to our speakers; our program committee Milena Spelta Parenti, Maii Abdel-Wahab, and Diego Cresceri; and our sponsors and partners.
With Focus on Executives 2026 now concluded, the conversations started in Chania will continue well beyond the event itself, shaping future decisions, partnerships, and strategies. We now look forward to ELIA Networking Days 2026 in Seville, Spain, on October 1–2.
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