RWS Announces Strategic Q4 Leadership Hires

London-listed RWS announced two key leadership additions in October 2025, naming seasoned finance executive Stephen Lamb as the company’s new Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and media expert Michael Wayne as Head of Media and Entertainment.

Lamb brings over two decades of executive experience within high-growth, listed international services companies, and is expected to join the Language Solutions Integrator (LSI) and take his seat on the Board of Directors in Q1 2026.

Previously, Lamb served as Group Finance Director and Board member at AIM-listed Midwich Group plc, CFO for the International division of Iron Mountain Inc., and senior finance positions at Regus plc (now part of IWG plc) and Experian plc.

According to CEO Benjamin Faes, who delivered the keynote address at SlatorCon London in June 2025 and took the helm in late 2024, the LSI is positioning itself as a “technology-first content solutions company,” a change that aligns with the broader shifts observed in the language industry and the new appointments.

Faes praised the incoming CFO, telling Slator that he is delighted that Lamb is joining in the first quarter of 2026.

The CEO said that he looks forward to Lamb’s contribution to the development and implementation of the plans that will drive RWS’s strategic shift. Faes highlighted Lamb’s “successful track record in financial leadership of high-growth and listed global businesses, managing the complexity of multi-jurisdictional operations, and executing M&A strategies will be invaluable in supporting our success as we build on the Group’s strengths in the next phase of its development.”

For his part, Lamb expressed excitement about joining RWS. “With a new vision and growth strategy defined, I look forward to working with Ben and the rest of the executive team to help shape and implement the plans that will deliver the strategy.”

A Renewed Focus on Video Localization

The new Head of Media and Entertainment at RWS, Michael Wayne, is based in Los Angeles and will lead the company’s expanding media localization division, which includes services like AI dubbing, subtitling, and comprehensive content adaptation. 

His hiring is described by the company’s press release as part of an accelerated investment strategy in video localization, aiming to combine advanced AI with human creative skills.

Wayne brings a background in media and entertainment to the role, most recently serving as the Chief Commercial Officer at Papercup, a company known for its AI dubbing technology and whose IP was acquired by RWS earlier in 2025. He also held executive positions at Sony Pictures Entertainment and ABC Television.

CEO Faes shared his excitement “to have such an industry pioneer and thought leader join the team,” adding that Wayne’s combination of creative vision and commercial acumen will supercharge the company’s media localization capabilities and position RWS at the very forefront of this rapidly evolving industry.

About joining the LSI, Wayne said that “with RWS’s leading AI technology and unmatched human expertise, we have a real opportunity to shape the industry and help organizations reach global audiences faster, more efficiently and with even greater impact.”