Board Elections 2024 Candidate
Alex Zekakis
Chief Customer Officer, XTM International | Greece | LinkedIn
"I am advocating for a defining principle of localization: A perfect balance between the craft of translation and technological advancement; A balance we must maintain."
In your view, what are the most important challenges and opportunities facing GALA?
In 2022, GenAI awareness surfaced at the C-level, driven by extensive media coverage and some level of hyperbole. As such, GenAI reached the enterprise agenda as a critical means to efficiency and cost savings. In this context, new attention fell on our historically insular industry, challenging the status quo.
It was a wake-call for localization professionals, reminding us we need to constantly adapt to market pressures and ever-advancing technologies. The AI hype has subsided somewhat, but as an industry we still need to incorporate the promise of GenAI into technology solutions, client processes, and service offerings.
The way forward is continuous adaptation and improvement, with consideration of what we’ve inherited from industry pioneers alongside contributions of industry upstarts. Current market imperatives and the pace of technological change is certain to reshape our realities in multiple ways and at a rapid pace.
As future-thinking industry professionals, we need to both comprehend our current challenges and opportunities and be ready to review deeply-rooted practices, processes and definitions to create new norms. In this way, we become the innovators and change agents.
As a trusted, tenured industry mainstay, GALA is at centre stage for this conversation. I know members value GALA’s information transfer and knowledge distribution throughout its wide network. For me, GALA has always been a lively forum for challenge, debate, conflict and resolution. As we move together into the next era, we have a tremendous opportunity to redefine and re-establish the true business value of localization and expand our influence.
How have you engaged with GALA as a member?
I have participated in several GALA events, most while representing XTM, and have enjoyed meaningful engagement with peers throughout. I’ve also been proud to present and host panels as part of the event agenda. Additionally, I lecture at the University of Strasbourg on a variety of localization topics.
Besides your work with GALA, how do you engage with our industry (associations, conferences, speaking, publishing, community events, etc.)?
2013 - LS Roundtable LocWorld Singapore | 2013 - Developed Terminologist Android App 2014 - LS Roundtable LocWorld Bangkok | Across LSP Day Karlsruhe 2015 - Across Anwenderkoferenz Cologne 2018 - PIC Locworld Warsaw 2019 - GALA Munich 2020 - TEKOM (Remote) | Globally Speaking Podcast (Remote) 2021 - PIC (Remote) | 2021 - TEKOM Magazine co-authored with Nestlé 2022 - Adobe DITAWORLD Keynote (Remote) | Nordic TechKomm Copenhagen | XTM Live Silicon Valley 2017 - Guest Lecturer Aristotle University 2020 to present - Lecturer Strasbourg University
What superpowers can you bring to board service? Describe previous board experience, leadership training, or strategic leadership you’ve had.
With my extensive leadership experience and training, I am confident in my ability to deliver this expertise .
Which segment(s) of GALA's membership do you represent? What perspective will you bring?
Through 15 years’ experience within and across technology, services, and academic segments, I offer a uniquely blended perspective to current conversations. I am also someone keen on a forward-looking view for the industry and want to drive innovation. I believe both these perspectives will add value to the GALA Board.