Team

‘Issuing a quote is the first point of personal contact with the client. It determines how an assignment progresses. If a client is happy with the end result, I'm happy!’

As a project manager, An van Duivendijk is responsible for processing translation projects and ensuring that they run smoothly from start to finish. Alongside monitoring our overall quality process, An is a skilled sales coordinator within the team of project managers. An was born and raised in the city of Nijmegen. At the age of 18, she began her studies in art history at VU Amsterdam. She specialized in mediaeval visual arts and architecture. Having completed her studies, An moved to the UK where she initially worked in the historic city of Cambridge before moving on to work for a photography agency in London. In 1999, she returned to Amsterdam and spent seven years working for the world’s largest stock photography agency. She left them in 2007 to work as a project and office manager at a web-design company, where she worked until 2010. An moved to Maastricht in December 2009.  

‘What motivates me as a translator is the quest for the right term – finding the right word in the right context. I'm hardwired to think analytically. I think it's important that a translation is correct in terms of terminology, fits the client's style, and is reflective of their sector.’

With a background in both arts and sciences, Anna Carpendale can handle a wide range of subject areas. British Anna was born in Burton-on-Trent (Midlands) and grew up in a village near Ipswich in the East of England. She studied European Studies at the University of Hull, with Dutch as her main foreign language. Anna spent an exchange year in Utrecht as part of her degree programme, where she studied within the Faculty of Geographical Sciences, as it was then known. After graduating back in the UK, aged 22, she made the decision to move to the Netherlands, settling in Maastricht. She started work as a translator/editor at Duo vertaalburo in 2002.

‘As coordinator, I make sure that our clients, translators, and the team at Duo are on the same page. I love my role: it means I can make sure that everyone working on the translation is fully aware of our clients’ wishes and goals.’

As team coordinator, Cyril Loman is responsible for the project management department. She grew up in the town of Wognum, in the province of North Holland. After secondary school, she spent a year as an au pair in Paris before starting her studies at the Maastricht School of Translation and Interpreting. She began her career as a translator in Royal DSM's internal translation service and later she worked for various international companies in the region. Cyril started at Isatranslations in 2006, working as a project manager and developing strong business relationships with clients. She now gladly continues those relationships at Duo vertaalburo, where she has been working since August 2014.

‘Languages are my passion. Add to that my years of work experience in the sector, and I've got an excellent set of tools to make sure your message gets through clearly. I’m what you could call the 'filter’ between the translator, project manager, and client.’

Jurgen Venmans is the unrivalled polyglot of Duo, using his linguistic talents as a final editor for multilingual projects. Jurgen has a great interest in the Romance languages. He studied French and Spanish at the Maastricht School of Translation and Interpreting and graduated in 1993. Having worked as a freelancer for a year, he decided to study Italian in Utrecht. In 2005, he departed for Rio de Janeiro, where he also learned Portuguese. After ten years in Brazil, he decided it was time to return to the Netherlands, and he came back to the place where it all began: Maastricht! He has been working at Duo since November 2015, where alongside his work as a translator and editor he also assists with the financial administration.

‘I work together with our clients to make sure the end result is nothing short of perfection. I love searching for answers to language-related questions, finding a solution to urgent projects, and ensuring our clients receive the meticulous service they deserve.’

As a project manager, Lina Nellissen is responsible for ensuring that translation projects run smoothly from start to finish. Lina was born in Germany, but moved to the Netherlands when she was very young. Brought up bilingually, Lina made the natural decision to study German and English at the Maastricht School of Translation and Interpreting, where she graduated in 2014. Having discovered during her studies there that she had a talent for interpreting, she decided to train as a conference interpreter in Germersheim, Germany, where she graduated with distinction (cum laude). Lina started out at Duo on a work placement as part of her degree, working as an editor and translator. She is now part of the project management team.

‘I use my enthusiasm for words to produce translations that not only read like an original, but also hit the right tone for the target audience. I relish getting to the heart of each text and making sure each word is meticulously chosen.’

With his knowledge of several European languages, Luke Alsop is a highly versatile translator. Luke grew up in Wakefield (West Yorkshire, UK) and developed a love of languages from a very young age. He went on to study French and German at the prestigious Durham University and graduated with a first-class honours degree. During his time as a student, Luke spent part of his year abroad studying German language and culture in Cologne, and part as an assistant project manager at a Parisian translation agency. To broaden his horizons further, Luke decided that the Netherlands was the next country to relocate to. He has been working at Duo since July 2015.

‘When I'm translating, I really focus on exactly what the client wants to say, right down to the smallest details. It is my mission to communicate the original message and purpose of the text perfectly.’

Bilingual Malcolm Healey can translate a wide variety of text types into English. He began life in the UK but moved to the Netherlands at the age of eleven, and after completing secondary school he moved to The Hague to study European Studies. He then went on to study for a Master's in Management, Economics & Consumer Studies in Wageningen, specializing in Consumer Studies. Malcolm was already doing translation work during his time at university, and it became a passion. When the vacancy at Duo came up, he didn’t hesitate for a second. Malcolm has been working at Duo as an English translator on a permanent basis since 2018, focusing on marketing and academic texts.

‘‘What I love about translation is that you never stop learning. Every assignment is a new challenge, aiming to produce the very best translation. That's what makes it a fascinating profession for me.’ ’

Mel was born and bred in Maastricht. In 2009, after graduating from the Maastricht School of Translation and Interpreting in German and English, she felt it was time to broaden her horizons. She started working as a translator in Cambridge where she had done her work placement during her studies, and translated and revised a variety of texts from manuals and software descriptions to mobile phone games and websites. After seven years there, Mel moved to Berlin, where she worked for a large translation agency and gained experience with technical translation. Ultimately, she came to the conclusion that Maastricht would always be her home, and moved back. She is right at home at Duo as a Dutch translator and editor.

‘My personal ambition as a project manager is to make the impossible possible. The feeling I get when – against all odds – we achieve the seemingly impossible is what inspires me to do more.’

As project manager, Nick is responsible for accepting translation projects and ensuring that they are completed and delivered on time. Nick also has a great sense of comic timing and can always brighten everyone's mood. Nick grew up and went to school in the Limburg village of Born. He went on to study Tourism in Sittard, after which he decided to study at the Maastricht School of Translation and Interpreting, majoring in Spanish and English.

‘Complex projects are my thing – and the more complex, the better. I think it's important to reassure clients that we can get the job done, no matter what, so that they can focus on their core business ’

As a project manager, Rachel Wolfs is responsible for accepting translation projects and ensuring that they're completed on time and to perfection. Rachel was born and raised in the village of Eijsden in the province of Limburg, and thanks to her experience working for various major employers in the region, she's well-versed in the local market. She studied German and English at the Maastricht School of Translation and Interpreting, spending her work placement at the Meuse-Rhine Euregio offices in Aachen. Having completed her studies, she began her career as a Management Assistant at Mercedes-Benz CAC. Before joining Duo, she worked on the implementation of major infrastructural projects for the Province of Limburg.

‘My work as a translator means I help shape the most magnificent of lexical creations. It's fantastic to be part of this magical process.’

Sandrine Renard's years of experience mean that she can handle a wide range of subject areas. She has been with Duo almost since the beginning and is well-versed in the specific wishes of each client. Sandrine was born in Liège and grew up in Esneux in the east of Belgium. A native speaker of French, she studied Dutch and English at the Maastricht School of Translation and Interpreting and then spent one year working as a translator at Binsberg Vertaalbureau Eatt. She came to Duo vertaalburo in 1998 and now coordinates the French translation work.