JUNTOS‘ Vamos Juntos 2023 Conference brought together language service providers (LSPs), linguists, and other industry professionals in the Copacabana neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on March 27 and 28. The event aimed to foster idea-sharing, discussion of best practices, and networking opportunities among attendees.
Brazil’s iconic Copacabana was taken over by 55 individuals who attended the conference, including JUNTOS board members Charles Campbell (Translation Back Office), Roslyn Famous (Lingovox Translation Studio), Rafael Sousa (Brazlate Language Solutions), David Mego (Bilingual Global), Ivan Escamilla (Linguaris), and Saúl Villegas (Directum), who expressed excitement about the enthusiasm and energy of the attendees.
“I was really surprised and excited by the number of professionals who wanted to attend, and those who are already asking about next year,” said Charles Campbell, CEO and Founder of the Translation Back Office and JUNTO’s board member.
Keynote speaker Renato Beninatto (Nimdzi Insights) opened the conference with a speech on “What is ahead for the language industry?” and attendees participated in various presentations, such as “Language Access, The Case for a Broader Business Approach in the Language Industry” by Carol Velandia (Equal Access Language Services), “Sales Strategy” by Sophie Halbeisen (Plunet Inc), and “The Road to Selling your Company Successfully” by Hugo Rizzi (Language Solutions Team). Additionally, a roundtable discussion on the role of associations in the industry featured Rafael Sousa from BLISS, Veronica Pofcher from Tina, Bruno Murtinho (ABRATES), Christian Modesto from AASL, Charles Campbell from JUNTOS, and Roslyn Famous from ALC, moderated by Stephen Lank CEO at Cesco Linguistic Services.
Positive feedback from attendees poured in during and after the event, with several expressing their satisfaction with the conference. Halbeisen, Global Head of Sales & Marketing at Plunet Inc., mentioned that “JUNTOS channeled all of this energy in one event. The insights, learnings, and contacts I’m taking home are invaluable, and I can’t wait to continue growing and learning with this incredible group of people.” Similarly, Alessio Demartis, Senior Business Development Manager at memoQ, expressed his enthusiasm by saying, “What a way to launch a conference series! The presentations, the energy, the networking — everything was on point. It was a pleasure for memoQ to support this event. And we are all waiting for the next one!”
The conference also featured an open panel where attendees had the opportunity to add their thoughts on how to build on the association and the potential for growth in the region. Looking toward the future, there was talk of next year’s event potentially being held in a new location. With many pages still needing to be written about JUNTOS, Latin America, the Caribbean, and the language industry, the hope is to stay connected and continue to help build this fantastic community.
