Giving leaders an international voice

You have had a rich career, from translation to language teaching. What prompted you to specialise in English training for SME managers?

My professional career has indeed been very diverse, beginning with a specialisation in languages and translation, culminating in a PhD in language education. I then spent more than a decade in the corporate world, including at the United Nations and large international companies, holding various management positions. This experience allowed me to acquire valuable professional and intercultural skills, and to observe the inequalities that exist in the international business world.

I realised that company founders and executives have a considerable influence on the future of the world, but not all of them have had the opportunity to develop their English skills, which greatly limits their potential for international growth. That's why I decided to focus on them. By giving them the means to make their voices heard on an international scale, I am helping to harness the potential of the whole world and enable its growth, which I hope will have a real positive impact on a global level.

How do you adapt your approach to teaching English to meet the specific needs of business leaders?

To meet the specific needs of these executives, I have devoted approximately 10,000 hours to researching and understanding their particular English communication requirements. My goal is to pinpoint precisely what will enable them to shine as leaders in an English-speaking context, focusing on the skills that are essential to their success in the international business world.

In my approach, which I have developed based on my research, I emphasise extensive personalisation. I begin with an in-depth assessment of each executive's specific needs, taking into account their professional goals and context. I have also developed a unique psychometric tool that allows me to accurately analyse each student's learning profile in order to tailor the programme to their learning style. This bespoke approach makes learning more effective, faster and more enjoyable.

I do not limit myself to a single teaching method, as I believe that there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, I adapt my methodology to suit the needs and learning preferences of each executive. This flexibility allows my students to feel comfortable with the learning process and to fully engage with it. 

In addition, I go beyond simple language lessons by incorporating coaching with professionals in other essential skills for executives who wish to become leaders in an English-speaking context, such as accent, body language, and public speaking. Each client works in parallel with several experts, whom I call their “Success Team”, who collaborate on each personalised programme to ensure optimal results as quickly as possible. 

What advice would you give to an SME manager who wants to improve their English skills while juggling their professional responsibilities?

Don't delay getting started. The longer you put off learning English, the more you will regret it, as it will have a greater impact on your business, and your responsibilities will only increase as your business grows. In most cases, for executives aiming for international growth, English is not an option, it is a necessity. In my interviews with numerous investors, they reveal that they often consider a manager's command of English to be an essential criterion before even considering a project.

I advise business leaders to view learning English as a strategic investment. Calculate how much you lose each year by not being able to grow internationally. Rather than opting for cheap but ineffective solutions, consider professional programmes that guarantee results in a shorter time frame. The goal is not to become bilingual, but to be able to manage your business internationally without English being a barrier. The sooner you achieve this, the better it will be for you and your business.

Language teacher training is also part of your expertise. What do you consider to be the key skills for training teachers?

Unfortunately, I find that the current standard of language teachers is very low, with confusion between linguistic and pedagogical skills. Even teacher trainers often have preconceived ideas that are not in line with the latest research. This is an area that is close to my heart and one that I intend to return to in the future.

One of the major problems I identify is what is known as “the apprenticeship of observation”. Teachers tend to teach the way they were taught, which can perpetuate bad habits, and the same is true for teacher trainers. In addition, the requirements for becoming a language teacher are often vague and poorly defined. Too much importance is placed on the concept of «native» when research shows that this is not always the most relevant factor. In reality, a good language teacher must certainly have a command of the language, but above all, they must have in-depth training in education and knowledge of the latest research in neuroscience and language learning, not just teaching techniques.

I am also convinced that an excellent language teacher must have learned a foreign language to an advanced level themselves. This allows them to understand the learning process, the frustrations and challenges that students face. That is why I insist that my teachers not only have solid pedagogical training, but also personal experience of learning a foreign language to an advanced level. There are many studies, including my doctoral research, that show that this approach creates a stronger bond with students and leads to more effective and empathetic teaching, as well as a better understanding of the real challenges of becoming and living as a bilingual person. 

How do you see foreign language learning methods evolving with new technologies? Are there any tools or platforms that you would particularly recommend?

New language learning tools, particularly conversational AI, open up incredible possibilities. However, I remain cautious about their actual effectiveness in developing in-depth language skills. Having worked on similar projects at the University of Cambridge, I know how complex these systems are to develop. I therefore question the ability of small platforms to achieve these goals, especially when they are created by people with little scientific knowledge of language learning.

Nevertheless, I am impressed by the diversity of tools that have emerged in recent years. For example, vocabulary applications such as Quizlet seem particularly useful to me. I have also seen how my colleagues at the University of Cambridge have developed a platform called Write&Improve, which uses unique AI based on millions of writing samples to automatically assess students' texts while allowing teachers to add their comments. I find this type of tool very promising because it combines the efficiency of AI with human expertise.

As a professional in the field and a language learner myself, I personally test these tools so that I can best advise my clients. However, I find that many teachers are not yet fully exploiting the potential of these new technologies, often limiting themselves to more traditional methods, using simple English textbooks even when teaching online. I believe there is a real opportunity here to transform language learning into a more immersive and engaging experience, both for independent learners and for classroom courses. I look forward to seeing how these developments will shape the future of language teaching.

What are the main difficulties your learners encounter in terms of intercultural communication, and how do you help them overcome these difficulties?

In my experience, I have observed two types of problems related to the internationalisation of companies. The first concerns clients who focus on Anglo-Saxon markets, where intercultural challenges are more traditional and better understood. We have a wealth of research and tools to help individuals adapt to a specific culture in this context.

The second type, which is more complex and interesting, concerns the use of English as a lingua franca in contexts where none of the interlocutors are native speakers. For example, a Middle Eastern company seeking to expand into Europe. In these situations, it is not simply a matter of learning the cultural conventions of a specific country, but of developing genuine intercultural competence. This involves the ability to identify potential intercultural issues, negotiate the meaning of messages, and communicate appropriately and politely in a variety of cultural contexts.

This challenge requires extensive experience in intercultural communication, which most teachers unfortunately do not have. However, both research studies and my personal experience at the UN and other international organisations show that this communicative flexibility is essential for effectively navigating complex international professional environments. The challenge is to find the right tools and strategies to help students develop these types of skills, which are so cross-cutting and dependent on each specific context. 

Do you have any examples of clients who have benefited from your language training and intercultural communication courses to grow internationally?

I only launched my service at the beginning of the summer, so it's still too early to talk about figures, but I have two concrete examples I can share with you. 

The first is an entrepreneur from the Middle East seeking to expand his business in Europe. This client is extremely motivated and aware of the importance of English for his professional future. Thanks to our intensive collaboration, he has recently signed contracts with British and European companies, which he attributes largely to his new English communication skills. 

The second case involves an Asian entrepreneur aiming to expand his business in the United States in 2025. This client, who has an advanced level of education, was seeking high-quality assistance to help him progress quickly. Our approach here is different, involving North American coaches to perfect not only his English, but also his accent and cultural understanding, so that he can communicate authentically with the American market.

These two examples illustrate the diversity of each entrepreneur's needs and the tailored approach required to help them achieve their goals as quickly as possible. For me, each client is both a personal and professional challenge, and I look forward to seeing their progress and how I can help them overcome the new language challenges they will undoubtedly face as they take the next steps in internationalising their businesses.