Sometimes it's easier to earn recognition abroad than at home. Brno-based information technology firm Moravia Worldwide is an example. Though little known here, the company recently ranked among the top 15 companies in the world in the field of software localization and translation. In an interview with The Prague Post, CEO Katerina Forstingerová talks about the strengths of the company, how they enabled it to succeed in international markets, and what other firms should focus on in order to pursue global expansion.

1. Moravia Worldwide is thriving and was recently ranked among the top 15 companies in your industry globally. What do you do?

We help companies earn international revenues by preparing their products for local markets. Our customers are usually U.S., West European or Japanese multinational software and life sciences companies that spend a lot of time and resources developing software products and medical devices. They turn to Moravia to fine-tune them so they can sell their products in local markets outside of their home countries.

We essentially translate software user interfaces supporting technical and marketing documentation, Web content, etc. If you have ever used a commercially available PC or Mac software application in Czech — or French or Japanese for that matter — it may be our work.

2. So you are a translation company?

We are a global company, and translation is a very important part of what we do, but it's much more than just translation. This process is known as 'localization' and involves the integration of various professions such as translators, software engineers, software testers, documentation managers and project managers.

3. What prompted you to adopt this growth path and geographical expansion strategy?

Well, we grow with our customers and their needs, so our growth is the result of meeting our clients' growing needs. I think in this sense the localization industry is like any other: You can't stay the same. Your either grow, or you lose out to those who do grow. In the early 1990s, when we were still a small local company focusing on Czech and other Central and East European languages, we set our minds on growth — partly out of enthusiasm for what we do, but partly from necessity. We wanted to be a major player. Today, we work in almost 50 languages, and this has led to rapid growth and the need to have a global presence. Now we have offices across Europe, in North America and Asia.

4. Moravia Worldwide was the first Czech-based company to open an office in Tokyo. I understand that Prime Minister Jirí Paroubek met you during his recent trip to Japan and congratulated you on your strategy in the region. How did you manage this expansion in Asia?

Meeting the prime minister and receiving his congratulations was encouraging for our staff in Japan as well as our worldwide locations. To answer your question, managing expansion in Asia has been challenging. Our strategy is not to expand in every country, but rather in regions. Each of our Asian offices has a different function — our presence in Tokyo is primarily to be close to our Japanese customers; our Chinese presence in the city of Nanjing is a fast-growing Asian production and testing facility. We build something we call a 'follow the sun' model — a production model that can run 24 hours a day across different time zones to support our worldwide client base. So it is crucial for us to be in Asia, too.

5. You attract an interesting mix of nationalities to work in your headquarters in Brno. Where are they from?

We love having international staff in our offices. Our expat colleagues bring new cultures, new perspectives, new management approaches and of course new languages to Moravia. We have about 15 different nationalities working in our headquarters in Brno, including staff from the United States, Canada, Sweden, Norway, Portugal and France. Our human resources department helps with the settling-in process through programs such as temporary accommodation upon arrival, Czech lessons for those interested, etc. Integration is facilitated also by the fact that English is our corporate language.

6. Your industry is undergoing unprecedented change marked by major acquisitions and consolidation. How do you view Moravia?

Yes, the 'No. 2' company bought the 'No. 1' company and the 'No. 3' company grew through other acquisitions. What is clear is that an investment of this level in our industry is a positive development. Investors and other 'outsiders' will become more aware of our industry due to the size and value of these mergers and acquisitions. Despite this, our industry is relatively small, and there's sufficient space for growth for a wide range of companies. As with any other business, buyers will always want a choice, so we see opportunities ahead.

7. In 1999, you were voted the first-ever Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year in the Czech Republic. Have you changed as an entrepreneur since then?

I was, and of course still am, pleased with the award, and I've always considered it an appreciation of our whole team. But I don't see it as a reason to change — we still strive to do a great job for our clients. The real award for us is that we enjoy our work, do more, have fun and our customers are happy. I see any award the company receives as something won by our whole team and confirmation that we are moving forward in the right direction and with the right strategy.

8. You are a successful woman entrepreneur in the IT industry. Do you believe this is an advantage?

I have very strong views on this: I think it does not matter whether you are a man or a woman. What is important is how competent you are.

9. Where do you see your company in five years' time?

Five years ago we were primarily a Central and East European company, and were thinking about entering the U.S. market and only dreaming of Asia. This is now a reality and [Moravia] is a leader in many aspects in our industry. Today, there are companies that are following in our footsteps and mimicking our strategies, and we take this as proof of our leadership. We expect that we will continue to be copied by other companies. As in the past 15 years, we plan to follow our clients and their needs, and this will mean further growth and investment.

10. What advice would you give to companies that want to grow internationally?