Welocalize Nabs Microsoft Localization Director Derek McCann

Language services provider Welocalize has announced that they have a new VP/GM of Western US Sales and Operations: localization veteran Derek McCann. Having stepped into the newly created role on September 21, 2015, McCann is responsible for defining the strategy of the company in terms of client acquisitions and customer experience primarily in North America, Western Region. Four Senior Directors in Operations and Sales for the region report directly to McCann.

McCann is heading up a multi-million dollar division that services many of the company’s largest enterprise clients. Welocalize could not disclose the exact revenues of his enterprise group, but the company expects it to double in size through new client acquisition, added services and existing business growth.

McCann said in a statement provided to Slator that he thinks the language services market is undergoing “a time of great change and disruption” and “serious consolidation,” and said he looks forward to working with Welocalize to manage “the disruptive nature of what lies ahead.”

Welocalize informed Slator that McCann will be working out of Seattle. He reports to EVP and General Manager of North America, Chris Grebisz, who is based in the company’s Portland office. Welocalize is also pursuing “adding additional office space in the Seattle area in the coming months.”

Further clarifying his direct responsibilities for the region, Welocalize said McCann “is accountable for new business, client management, operations, quality and delivery for clients.” As is the case for many language service providers operating in the extremely competitive enterprise market vertical, McCann will have to help Welocalize fight commoditization and price pressure in translation services. According to Welocalize, “Derek knows best of all that our industry cannot be measured by number of words translated each year, we need to better position our services from a value position.”

McCann brings over 20 years of localization experience to Welocalize, having most recently served as Senior Director of Internationalization and Localization for Microsoft out of their Seattle office for four years. Prior to that, he spent 19 years as Director of Microsoft Ireland, leading localization projects for the Office division for Ireland and Redmond, managing teams in Ireland and Seattle.