2023 EGA Top 100 Influential Professionals in M&E Localisation

20 November 2023

2023 EGA Top 100 Influential Professionals in M&E Localisation

We're extremely proud to see key members of the VSI Group earned well-deserved rankings on the Entertainment Globalisation Association’s Top 100 Professionals in Content Localisation, which celebrates the most influential individuals in M&E localisation. Our global team not only secured great positions throughout but also claimed top spot in four pivotal categories including Leadership, Business Development, Operations and Technology.

This program, voted on by industry peers and colleagues, celebrates the remarkable achievements and exceptional leadership throughout 2023.

Congratulations to everyone who made the list, with a special shoutout to our employees for their continuous and invaluable contributions to our company and the broader localisation industry.

Take a look below to see who has been recognised:

Leadership

#1 Mark Howorth, CEO

Mark has spent 25 years in the media services industry, joining VSI as CEO in January 2023 to take the company to its next level of growth. His focus has been on centralisation and automation of key processes, underpinned by the strategy of “One VSI”. Within this remit, he has worked to enhance the teams with key hires and increased investment in technology to streamline and strengthen VSI’s client offering whilst maintaining a high-quality global and local approach.

Operations

#1 Cornelia Al-Khaled, COO

Cornelia joined VSI HQ in 2013 as MD and, in 2022, took on the role of Group COO. Since then, she has continued to enhance operational efficiencies throughout the localisation workflow, collaborating with the technology team and VSI-owned and operated facilities to leverage best practices and centralise key technical and operational processes whilst further developing the global teams. This focus on standardisation and operational excellence supports the high-quality global and local approach that the company is known for.

#2 William Russell, MD (UK)

William joined VSI as Head of Legal in 2019, transitioning to the Managing Director of the London headquarters in 2021. Since his promotion, William has overseen his team through significant changes and plays a key role in shaping VSI’s global strategy.

#6 Débora Arima, MD (Brazil)

Débora’s localisation experience dates back to 2008 and in her capacity as MD, she played an active role in the negotiations that resulted in the formation of VSI Vox Mundi. She has contributed to the growth of operations earning a well-deserved reputation as one of the largest and most prominent studios in Brazil.

#7 Christophe Lefebure, MD (France)

Christophe joined VSI in the summer of 2022 and is accountable for running the company's Paris facility. Under his leadership, the production team was restaffed and reorganised and his focus on change management has helped bolster the team's morale and facility perception from a local studio to a truly global player.

Business Development

#1 Judit Horvath, Head of Sales

Judit's career is rooted in the TV and media industry, and she has played a key role in driving new and ongoing business for VSI. Her ability to understand client requirements and connect deeply with them whilst ensuring they understand the value the company offers in supporting their globalisation is critical to acquiring new business. She also leads the international sales team, closely collaborating with marketing to leverage the strong industry reputation of VSI.

#3 Sally Wallington, Sales Director

Sally has spent her career to date managing client relationships in broadcast technology and media companies, ensuring a successful client experience across the board and securing new business. As the Sales Director for VSI, she has continued to dedicate her efforts to ensuring a positive customer experience and providing cost-effective, creative solutions for the company's client base. She oversees the international sales and global account management functions and guarantees that this client-centred approach underpins everything VSI does.

Technology

#1 Scott Rose, CTO

Scott has been a key technology driver in the industry for over 28 years, leading major innovations in how subtitling is done, how customer integrations are managed, the use of cloud technology and more recently, addressing the applications of AI. He’s a strong addition to VSI as CTO, after collaborating in a consultancy capacity with the company in 2023, turbocharging their AI initiatives and now taking on the overall accountability for all technology at VSI going into 2024 and beyond.

#2 Pete Lewis, Studio and Systems Support Director

Having worked at VSI for nearly 20 years, Pete Lewis specialised in audio post-production before moving into system development and studio standardisation. He's an integral part of a dedicated team focusing on studio construction, content security and system implementation. Most recently, he has overseen the Group’s media processing and asset management development.

#10 Armando Torres Jr., Managing Partner (Brazil)

Armando has over 25 years of experience as a mixing engineer. He has been credited on more than 170 feature films and series and acknowledged with 24 awards over the years. His deep-rooted industry experience and eye for technology to enhance and streamline the localisation process helps to ensure operational efficiency and the best possible client experience.

Click to view the full list of 2023 honourees

Let's talk

We appreciate your ongoing support and want to say a big thank you to everyone who voted for us. We couldn't do what we do without the trust you place in us and we are proud to be part of such a dynamic industry.

If you have any current projects and want to reach global audiences, we are here to help.