With 12 years experience as an export sales manager before becoming a translator, I have practical knowledge of a wide range of sales, marketing and management disciplines. The industry that I worked in was industrial textiles, making me conversant in extrusion technology and a multitude of application areas from lifting gear to geosynthetics. I have had wide exposure to quality management, internal auditing and testing procedures.

1988-1990 Tutor at a language school in Germany, teaching up to the level of the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry's interpreter course.

1991 Studied full time for British Institute of Export's graduate course covering Export Marketing, Physical Distribution and Principles in Management.

1992-2004 Held two management positions in export sales in the technical textiles sector. Travelled widely throughout Europe using German and French extensively in dealings with industrial customers and suppliers.