Bologna 2026

18 November - 20 November 2026

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Organizers

Richard Simcott

Founder and Lead Organizer

Richard Simcott is a British polyglot, who has studied over 50 languages. HarperCollins described him as one of the most multilingual people in the United Kingdom, and the Goethe Institute gave him the title Ambassador for Multilingualism.

He has many years of consulting experience using languages with diverse clients and offering his expertise on multilingual and multinational projects.

He is the original founder of the Polyglot Conference and The Language Event and manages a popular Facebook page called Speaking Fluently.

Ana Beaven

Programme Coordinator

Ana has been an English language teacher at the University of Bologna language centre for over 30 years. She has always had a keen interest in languages, and her areas of interest and research are Intercultural Language Education, Intercomprehension, and the use of technology in language learning and teaching.She has taken part in many European projects involving languages and cultures, physical and virtual exchanges, and is a trained dialogue facilitator.

Anja Spilker

Language Business Retreat Co-Lead

Anja Spilker is an international entrepreneur, startup investor, business mentor, and the founder of the award-winning language platform ZALOA Languages. Over the past nine years, she has built a language empire serving both B2C and B2B sectors connecting language learners from Latin America with companies to address the skilled workforce shortage in Europe. In 2024, she was recognized as one of the “Top 10 Female CEOs in Mexico” and has doubled the size of her company.

Hyunwoo Sun

Language Business Retreat Co-Lead

Hyunwoo Sun is an educator-entrepreneur and the CEO and co-founder of Talk To Me In Korean, a leading Korean-learning brand followed by millions of learners worldwide. Since launching TTMIK in 2009, he has built a sustainable education business spanning online lessons, books, and video content, and he works with learners and organisations globally to improve access to Korean language education.