The Language Leaders Podcast

Where English Learning Is Heading: Pearson’s President of English Language Learning on the Forces Reshaping Global ELT

What happens when one of the world’s largest education providers looks hard at the future of English language learning? What does that future look like from the inside?
Sharon Hague, President of Pearson’s English Language Learning division, reveals the shifts already reshaping the industry and the ones most leaders are not yet prepared for.
In this conversation, you’ll explore:
• What the real barrier to progress in ELT is, and why it is not what most people assume• How AI-empowered tools could redraw learner expectations across every market• Why English proficiency may become more economically decisive, not less, despite instant translation tools
👉 Tune in today.

Scaling with Soul: Mickey Soto Firrell’s Journey from Mechanic to Language CEO

What’s the secret to scaling a language company without losing its soul — or its standards?
In this episode of the Language Leaders Podcast, Mickey Soto Firrell, founder and CEO of Teachify, shares his remarkable journey from mechanic to teacher to founder — and how he built something increasingly rare: a dedicated team of language trainers connected by community.
You’ll learn:
Why teacher culture is Teachify’s secret weapon – and how it’s helped retain both clients and staff
How Mickey navigates the Fundae system, Spanish work culture, and compliance challenges
Why real flexibility, smart use of AI, and strong client relationships still win in B2B
👉 Tune in today.

AI Teaching Tools & Trends for 2025: Insights from ELSA, Babbel and More at the AI Tutor Summit

Is your AI tutor solving the right problem or just adding noise?
In this special Language Leaders episode, four innovators share how they’re building AI tutors that don’t just talk, but teach. They support real pedagogy, personalisation and progress at scale.
From B2C apps to corporate training and blended classrooms, this episode explores what makes an AI tutor effective and where it really adds value.
You’ll learn:
How ELSA evolved from phoneme-level feedback to adaptive AI tutors used by 50M+ learners
Why scaffolding is key to learner depth and engagement, with insights from Language Coach AI’s Carla Wyburn
How Babbel’s AI tutor bridges the ‘proficiency gap’ between structured lessons and real-world speaking
Why Geoff Stead believes the next generation can't just be 'answer bots'.
👉 Tune in today.

Bootstrapping at Scale: How François Fourmentin Built One of France’s Top Language Companies

What does it take to grow a solo startup into a leading consumer language brand, all without outside funding?
François Fourmentin, CEO and co-founder of Cercle des Langues, shares how he scaled from tutoring teens to building a tech-enabled company now serving thousands of adult learners across France.
You’ll learn how he:
Bootstrapped the business from day one, pivoting fast and staying lean;
Used technology to support strong pedagogy and streamline the teacher-student learning journey;
Scaled culture intentionally by embedding values into hiring, training and performance systems.
👉 Tune in today.

AI and the Future of Language Education: What Do Your Peers Think Will Happen in 2025?

How is AI reshaping the future of language learning? Join top language education leaders as they reveal insights into the most important trends of 2025, including AI.
What do these trends mean for learners, educators, and language businesses? Our expert guests share their insights on:
AI’s Impact on Language Education – How AI-driven tools are being integrated into learning while still preserving the value of human connection.
The Changing Market for Language Education – How companies are adapting their services and marketing strategies in response to AI advancements.
Leadership Insights for Language Innovators – Practical advice on navigating change, fostering innovation, and ensuring technology enhances effective learning.
This thought-provoking conversation features:
Tim Jordan - SVP of Product at Berlitz
Heather Lo - Head of Product of Learnlight
Stacy Richter - CEO of Live Lingua
Vincent Gest - Founder of WEFIT
Shoera Sels - AI Lead of BLCC
Daniel Delgado - COO of Twenix
Luka Smyth - Founder of Papo
Gerardo Onega - Director of Marketing & Innovation at Vaughan
Miriam Plieninger - Veteran Edtech Consultant
If you lead a language business, product or team, you won't want to miss this.
👉 Tune in today.

Does Language Learning Still Matter in an AI-Driven World? Insights from Pearson’s ELL President

In this episode, we sit down with Gio Giovannelli, President of Pearson’s English Language Learning division, to tackle one of the most important questions in language education today: does it still make sense to learn a language in the age of AI?
AI may offer seamless translation, but as Gio explains, “Language is something much deeper than that.” This thought-provoking conversation explores:
AI’s impact on language learning: Hear how one of the world’s largest learning companies is thinking about and responding to AI.
Communicating the hidden value of language learning: Equip yourself with the knowledge and language to successfully sell the cognitive, cultural, and professional benefits that make language learning even in an AI-driven world.
Leadership lessons for language innovators: Gain practical advice on leading change, fostering creativity, and building resilient teams
This episode is brought to you by LearnCube – the virtual classroom made exclusively for online language education.
👉 Tune in today.

AI-Driven Conversations: A Glimpse Into the Future

In this unusual episode of the Language Leaders Podcast, we dive into the key insights from Alex Asher’s latest white paper, “LangTech in the AI Era.” Just like in the written paper, we tackle key questions shaping the future of language education including:
- Will generative AI replace teachers?
- Will generative AI make learning a language obsolete?
- How are language businesses using generative AI?
What sets this episode apart? Much of it was created by AI itself. The main conversation was auto-generated in minutes using Google Notebook technology, with Alex’s commentary delivered via a world-leading ai-powered text-to-speech engine.
This episode isn’t just a conversation about AI - it’s a real-world demonstration of how AI is intersecting with and expanding the possibilities in education and for educators.
👉 Tune in to discover how AI is transforming language learning today and what that means for educators and learners tomorrow.
P.S. To gain access to the white paper go to https://go.learncube.com/langtech-in-ai-era-whitepaper

Transforming Language Curriculum with AI: Proven Strategies from Top Educators

In this episode, we dive deep into this year's Language Leaders Content Generation Summit 2024 to uncover how AI is reshaping workflows and enhancing the quality of lesson materials and language curricula.
Our panellists include:
Federico Espinosa (VP of Learning at Lingoda) discusses the pedagogical opportunities and challenges of integrating generative AI into the process of curriculum development.
Amer Bashimam (Product Manager at English Central) shares his personal experience with developing English Central's AI tutor, Mimi, while revealing their approach to overcoming common technical hurdles using AI.
Wilim Abrook (Head of Education at LearnCube) details the key learnings from developing LearnCube's AI Teacher Assistant and explains how fine-tuning large language models might be the answer to high-quality, tailored content for learners.
You'll also hear from Carla Wyburn, CEO of Language Coach AI, and Jonathan Archibold, CTO of Lingoda, as they tackle critical questions around CEFR levelling and the future of AI-powered language teaching.
👉 Don’t miss these exclusive insights from this transformative language industry event. Tune in today!

Leading Tech Revolutions: Jack Marmorstein’s 30-Year Journey from Rosetta Stone to Global LT’s CLO

In this episode, we sit down with Jack Marmorstein, Chief Learning Officer at Global LT, as he shares insights from his three-decade journey in the language education industry.
Discover the pivotal moments that shaped Jack’s career, from his early days as a PhD candidate to becoming one of the first employees at Rosetta Stone.
Hear Jack’s reflections on navigating multiple tech revolutions, including surviving an IPO, and how these experiences have influenced his approach to leadership.
Get his take on the future of AI in language learning and why human-led training will always remain essential.
👉 Tune in today.

Leading ELT Globally: Oxford University Press's MD on Leadership and Innovation

In this episode, we sit down with Santiago Ruiz de Velasco, Managing Director of Oxford University Press's English Language Teaching division, as he shares his remarkable journey through the world of education and publishing.
Discover the pivotal moments that shaped Santiago’s career, including:
From Dining Room to Boardroom: Learn how Santiago’s move from Spain to the UK led him to a lifelong career in education, starting with Pearson and eventually leading global operations.
Embracing Challenges: Santiago reflects on overcoming language barriers and professional hurdles, revealing how these experiences have made him a more resilient leader.
Global Impact and Responsibility: Explore Santiago's approach to leading one of education's most trusted brands amidst unprecedented technological disruption.
This episode was brought to you by LearnCube - the only virtual classroom made exclusively for online language teaching.
Whether you're an aspiring langtech entrepreneur or a seasoned language industry leader, this episode offers valuable lessons on global leadership, adaptability, and the power of passion in driving success.
👉 Tune in today.