CEO talking the right language with deal

A YORKSHIRE translation and interpretation company’s chief executive has acquired a controlling share of the business.

Carolyn Burgess, chief executive of Language is Everything, has completed the buyout for an undisclosed sum, in a deal financed through the Co-operative Bank and a private investor.
 
Ms Burgess has headed the Howden and Hull-based business since 1995. 

Hull-based chartered accountants Smailes Goldie brokered the deal.
 
Directors Carol Curtis and Graham Jones, who have been with Language is Everything since 1998 and 1999 respectively, have now left the company.
 
Language is Everything became a partner of World Trade Centre Hull & Humber in 2008 and now runs its private sector division from the base. It employs 15 staff in the region and has 3,000 linguists worldwide.
 
With a turnover exceeding £1.5m, the company has public sector contracts, including the NHS, and the London boroughs of Newham and Hillingdon, for which it provides face-to-face and telephone interpreting.

It also has a private sector client base, providing mainly written translation services including in specialist areas such as law and finance.
 
Ms Burgess said that the business was being restructured as part of the buyout, with internal promotions to be announced shortly.

She said: “I feel particularly proud that the business has secured finance in such difficult economic times. It demonstrates our current strength and our potential for growth.

“I would like to thank Peter Duffield and his corporate finance team at Smailes Goldie who have worked extremely hard to ensure the deal was completed.”
 
She added: “Huge opportunities exist for us in the private sector where we have seen a marked increase in demand for services, much of which is linked to our involvement with the World Trade Centre.”
 
Ms Burgess is a director of the World Trade Centre Hull & Humber and a non-executive director for Business Link Yorkshire, where she represents the Humber.