The people behind CallUma
Management Team
Advisory/Investor Board
Our Interpreters

Code of conduct
Group and Partners

The People Behind CallUma

The people behind CallUma have all been very successful in their business careers to date. Between them they have vast experience of starting businesses from scratch, growing them quickly and handling complex international operations, with sales into hundreds of millions (indeed billions) of pounds. They have all come together in the belief that if true globalisation of the world, its people and its businesses is to take place, then we must be able to communicate. By facilitating interpretation of the most commonly spoken languages in the world through the very latest telephony and internet technology, CallUma is setting out to unite the world. They have all invested substantial amounts of their own money behind this exciting enterprise to make travelling around our globe that much easier, safer and more interesting. This is why they believe that soon we will all CallUma when we need help abroad, just as naturally as we would search Google or click on to Yahoo.

Management Team
		Chris Pavlosky, Chairman - Chris is a highly experienced international businessman, who is currently an Executive Director of the 200 store MFI chain (and part of the management team of 3 who acquired the business in 2006 backed by Merchant Equity Partners and Cerberus). He is a former director of Polestar Group, Europe’s largest contract printer (where he chaired subsidiaries in Spain and Hungary) and former Managing Director of Courage (the brewers of John Smith’s, Fosters and Kronenbourg), both companies having sales of c£1bn. His earlier career includes time with Mars, United Biscuits, Coopers & Lybrand (in New York) and Dixons Plc, where he was MD of Mastercare. Until 2006 he was CEO of Omar Homes, which has interests in Poland, Mainland Europe and the Middle East. Chris holds an MBA from City University Business School.
		Tony Partridge, Chief Executive - Tony is a serial entrepreneur, having founded businesses in the UK, USA and Spain in a diversity of sectors including furniture retailing, home security and car retail. Whilst in Florida in the 1980’s he developed and launched the concept for the world’s first truly portable/ disposable child’s potty. Tony has spent the last 3 years evolving the CallUma concept – first launching the pilot in Spain in 2005 and then developing the service to cover 20 countries.
		Ian Salkeld, Finance Director - Having trained with Coopers & Lybrand (now PWC), Ian qualified as ACA 26 years ago and since then has spent his career investing in/running private equity backed businesses. He spent 13 years with leading VC, ECI Ventures (8 as a partner) and subsequently became CEO of DVR, the UK’s largest direct TV and video rental operator (sold to Granada for £52m). As Finance Director of Cash A Cheque for 3 years he helped grow the chain from 11 to 70 outlets before selling to Dollar Financial in 1999. Ian holds an MA from Queens’ College, Cambridge.
		Jonathan Hick, Non Executive Director - Jonathan is also a serial entrepreneur, having been involved in starting 8 businesses from scratch – in marketing, promotional clothing, fast food, recruitment, software, travel and printing. In 1987 he was part of the management buy-in of a long established northern advertising agency, where he became Managing Director. Having sold out of that business in 1995, he went on to found Directorbank, now Europe’s leading source of directors for private equity backed companies. He reduced his stake in Directorbank in 2006 after a £4.3m buyout, but remains a director of the company, with unrivalled access to Britain’s boardrooms. Jonathan is also Chairman of a travel operator in Spain and an international print machinery business.
		Stephen D Moss CBE, Non-Executive Director - Stephen has spent his entire career in the leisure industry, in both travel and hospitality. Over 18 years he built up BCP into the UK’s leading airport parking booking service, with sales of £45m, handling over 1 million bookings a year. He sold BCP in 2003 but remained at its helm until 2007. He is Chairman of London based property investor Grosvenor Securities and Founder/Chairman of Springboard, a charity promoting careers in hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism. Stephen is a former MD of Michelin rated Chelsea restaurant, Drakes, and a co-founder of 190 Queens Gate Plc with Antony Worrall-Thompson, Richard Shepherd and Roy Ackerman. Stephen read law at King’s College, London, was called to the bar at Gray’s Inn and holds a Masters from London Business School. He was awarded an MBE in 1992 and CBE in 2002.
		Darran Burr, UK Sales Director - Darran has accrued 29 years experience in the UK Travel Industry, he held Sales and Management roles for 15 years within Independent Agencies as well as with multiple chain Hogg Robinson Travel. For 14 years he has held Sales Development and Account Management roles with Aon Suretravel Insurance and, most recently, with BCP Airport Parking where for 5 years he headed up their very successful Northern and Scottish sales operation. Darran is a well known and respected figure within the Travel Trade and looks forward very much in continuing to work with the trade at CallUma.
		Katie Gifford, Head of Training & Development - Katie has a background in customer service and several years experience in designing and delivering creative and effective training solutions for large, blue-chip companies, including First Group and Fidelity Investments. She speaks French, German and Spanish, and is responsible for recruiting, training and developing CallUma’s team of interpreters.
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Advisory / Investor Board
		Chris Allen - In 1999 Chris and 3 partners invested their savings to co-found what would become one of the most successful internet travel companies in Europe - laterooms.com. Over the next 6 years he presided over the rapid operational growth of the business to a level of 200 staff and over 1 million hotel bookings a year. With private equity support from ECI along the way, Chris led the successful sale of the business to First Choice Plc for £108m in 2006 and remains as Chief Executive, driving new areas of internet expansion. Chris’ earlier career was spent in operational roles with Greenalls/De Vere Group Plc, where he was a founding director of the Premier Lodge chain (now Premier Travel Inn).
		James Horler - James has spent a lifetime in the leisure business, initially with Forte Plc and then with City Restaurants Plc where, as MD, he grew the Frankie & Benny’s chain from 2 to 63 restaurants in 5 years. In 2001, backed by Penta Capital, he paid £28m for the 18 strong La Tasca Spanish tapas chain, growing it over 5 years to 83 outlets – including sister concepts La Vina and Sam & Maxxie’s, and opening operations in the USA. Following flotation in 2005 James continued as Chief Executive until retiring in May 2007 after the £135m sale of La Tasca Plc to Robert Tchenguiz/Laurel Pub Group. James has been the recipient of many awards from the hospitality industry and is currently Chairman of Leon, the fast growing healthy food chain and of Cartwheel Recruitment, a hospitality staffing business.
		Neil Utley - One of the leading figures in the motor insurance industry, Neil is Chief Executive of Equity Insurance Group/Hastings Direct (handling some 2 million policies a year). Having bought Equity (previously Cox Insurance Holdings Plc) off the stock market in 2004, he led its £540m sale to IAG of Australia the following year. In 1996, as CEO, Neil set up Privilege Insurance for Direct Line founder Peter Wood. Prior to that Neil was MD of the Colonnade Insurance brokers chain, with some 100 outlets.
		Neil Roe - Neil has been involved in building up and selling 4 pub chains over the last decade – Devonshire Pub Co, Paramount Plc, MGR Leisure and Pyramid Pub Company. As Managing Director of Pyramid (which was backed by RBS) between 2001 and 2006, he ran 400 pubs with operating profits of over £12m, exiting the business at the highest EBITDA multiple ever paid for a solus tenanted pub group. The first 11 years of his career were spent with Bass Plc where he rose through the ranks to become Commercial Director of Leisure Link (now Inspired Gaming Plc), the UK’s largest amusement machine operations business. Neil holds an MBA from Bradford University.
		Roger Moss – Roger is currently Managing Director of Grosvenor Securities, a substantial private UK and international property development and investment group, with a history of interests in offices, leisure, retail and hotels. He is the former Chairman of British Car Parks, the largest off-airport car park network operator in the UK and has a particular interest in the marketing and sales of new media oriented products. His early career was spent with Union Bank of San Francisco and the Trafalgar House Group. Roger holds a BSc in estate management
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Our Interpreters

At CallUma we pride ourselves on the high quality of our interpreters. Before they are allowed to work for us, their language qualifications, including degree certificates in languages, interpretation and translation, and membership certificates to interpreting and translation bodies (including the Institute of Linguists and the Institute of Translation & Interpreting) are all vetted. All interpreters are fully trained and required to attain the CallUma Certificate of Proficiency.

Code of conduct

Everyone at CallUma adheres to the following code of conduct:

CallUma assistants (including interpreters) shall limit themselves to provide only the services offered by CallUma. All assistants assigned by CallUma are expected to abide by the code of conduct. The objective of the code of conduct is to make sure that communication across language and culture is carried out consistently and impartially and that all those involved in the process are clear about what may be expected from it. While performing their professional duties they shall not give advice, express personal opinions, or engage in any other activity that may be construed to constitute a service other than those we provide.

Standards of conduct

CallUma assistants shall respect all confidences received in the course of telephone interpretation assistance and information services. All information gained by our staff in the course of their professional duties shall remain strictly confidential. This information shall not be communicated, published or in any way divulged to any organization or person, other than the organization or person engaging in the services provided.

Accuracy and completeness

CallUma assistants shall to the best of their ability, provide complete and accurate services, including language interpretation, information and helpline assistance without altering or omitting anything. The assistants shall not add to what is said nor provide unsolicited explanations. CallUma or any assistant working for, or on behalf of CallUma, will not be held responsible in any circumstances for any misunderstanding and/or misinterpretation, when conducting an over the telephone interpretation or providing over the telephone assistance or information.

Impartiality

CallUma assistants shall be impartial and unbiased and shall refrain from conduct that may give an appearance of bias. They shall not allow personal opinions to interfere with their duties nor add unsolicited comments or make recommendations. Assistants will only intervene to ask for clarification, to point out that a party may have misunderstood or to alert the parties of a possible missed cultural inference.

Conflict of interest

CallUma assistants shall disclose any real or perceived conflict of interest. They shall not take personal advantage, financial or otherwise, of information obtained in the course of their work.

Disqualification and Impediments

CallUma assistants shall, at all time assess their ability to maintain CallUma’s highest standards of professional language interpretation, help line assistance and information services. They shall immediately convey any reservations about their ability to successfully complete the assignment for the customer. The assistant shall decline any assignment they believe to be beyond their technical knowledge or linguistic ability.

Professional courtesy

CallUma assistants shall provide excellent customer service. They shall maintain a professional demeanour, be courteous and use the tone of voice appropriate to the situation.

Professional development

CallUma assistants shall maintain and improve their skills and knowledge through activities such as professional training or education and interaction with colleagues and specialists in related fields. The team member shall keep informed of, and adhere to the CallUma policies and guidelines that relates to their professional duties.

High standards of conduct

CallUma assistants shall act at all times in accordance with the standards of conduct, and act with decorum appropriate to their profession as a CallUma assistant.

Safeguarding children and vulnerable adults

CallUma assistants have a responsibility to bring to the attention of CallUma any situations where they believe anyone (a child or vulnerable adult) is in need of protection. Upon receipt of concerns, CallUma will, at its discretion, forward the information to the relevant authorities.

Group Sites and Partners

CallUma is part of the GlobeLink group of companies, which offer translation and interpretation services to individuals and businesses across the world. We have many years of experience in translation and interpretation and over 400 interpreters working for us. We provide services to many business clients including: The AA, Norwich Union, Towergate, Parador Properties, Blue Sky Cruising. We also have relationships with the following companies: Cable & Wireless and AXA Insurance.