Interview Spotlight with Oana Dorobantu from Casa De Traduceri

Welcome to our new quickfire interview series, ELIA’s Roots: Stories from Our Member Companies. As a continuation from our Past Board Members series, this time we turn to the ones who have allowed ELIA to grow into the association it is today and showed support and engagement throughout the years: our Members.

In each edition, a Member Company shares their unique story with ELIA, from special memories and Member value, to business milestones and industry connections.

In this article, we hear from Oana Dorobantu from Casa De Traduceri, who became an ELIA Member Company in 2008.

When did you first join ELIA, and what brought you to the association?

We joined ELIA in 2008 when Casa de Traduceri was growing fast and we were eager to meet other people in the language industry. Those were the days, we were young, curious, and truly believed translation could connect the world. (We still do, by the way.) Oh, and we didn’t bother that AI could take our jobs. Our first ELIA event was the Networking Days in Lisbon, and it instantly felt like home. The atmosphere was open, friendly, and inspiring and we came back with new ideas, new friends, and that “wow, we’ve found our people” feeling. We’ve been hooked ever since.

What is one of your favourite memories from an ELIA event or within the community?

I remember the Focus on Executives event in Crete in 2017. Someone came up with the brilliant idea of a leadership book exchange. I forgot to bring a book (classic me), but no one judged. I still left with a head full of ideas and a whole new way of looking at leadership.

Two days of honest talks with leaders from across Europe showed me we were all facing the same storms: deadlines, clients, and the eternal quest for balance. That’s when Lucia Tiago-Stankovic said something that stayed with me years after: “In an industry led by women, there’s really no point in talking about KPIs, growth or margins. What we should be talking about is how we can work together to make all of us stronger.”

That sentence captured perfectly what ELIA has always meant for me: a place where competition turns into cooperation. It made me reflect on how I want Casa de Traduceri to be seen: not as one of the big predators in the ocean, but as one of those small, brightly coloured fish that bring beauty, energy, and life to the whole ecosystem.

This is also where seeds were planted for what was to become our first M&A attempt, some years later. Little did I know at the time!

What do you value most about being part of the ELIA community?

The friendships, hands down. Some people I first met as “competitors” became the ones I called for advice, venting, or just laughing about the daily chaos of running a language company.

ELIA has this rare magic: it’s never just about business cards, but about ideas, stories, and sometimes even a shared sense of purpose. It reminds me that we’re not alone in this ever-changing industry.

The people I’ve met through ELIA have shaped how I think about leadership, cooperation, and trust. And, honestly, made the journey a lot more fun.

How has ELIA impacted your business or your professional journey?

ELIA has shaped both my career and the evolution of Casa de Traduceri in ways I couldn’t have imagined. I’ve met people through ELIA who became instant points of reference, the kind of people you reach out to whenever you have a question about the industry, a new idea, or simply need perspective. People we stayed in touch with long after the events ended. In many cases, we eventually ended up collaborating or doing business together.

It’s the people I met in ELIA who made me want to do better, not because they told me how, but because they asked the right questions. Some of those conversations turned into collaborations, others into quiet moments of clarity that changed how we do business.

ELIA has never been just about networking or visibility; it’s been about perspective. About growing not just bigger, but smarter, and doing it alongside people who genuinely want you to succeed.

Looking ahead, what do you see for the future of ELIA and our community?

The industry is changing fast, and sometimes it feels like we’re all trying to keep our balance in a storm of new technologies and shifting priorities. But what gives me confidence is knowing that ELIA is still the space where people come together with honesty and curiosity, not just to talk about change, but to make sense of it together.

Over the years, I’ve watched people I first met at ELIA events grow into mentors, partners, and friends. I’ve seen companies evolve, merge, reinvent themselves. It reminds us that behind every company name, there are people who care deeply about what they do.

For me, the future of ELIA isn’t just about adapting to a new industry reality, it’s about keeping that spirit of belonging, generosity, and shared purpose alive.

Do you know where this photo was taken? Take your guess in our LinkedIn post!

Thank you to Oana for sharing Casa De Traduceri’s ELIA journey! Your engagement and support continue to inspire and guide our community and Members.

Stay tuned for our next spotlight article!