AI, Accessibility, and Global User Experience at Scale

In this episode, Emil Atanassov, VP of Internationalization and Accessibility Engineering at ServiceNow, shares his unconventional journey from studying American history to leading global engineering teams at one of the world’s most innovative SaaS companies.

Hosts Paula McGrath and Bruno Herrmann engage Emil in a wide-ranging discussion about building customer-centric experiences, scaling global operations, and the transformative role of AI in localization and accessibility.

From History Graduate to Global Tech Leadership
Emil recounts his career path from unexpected entry into localization to spearheading ServiceNow’s internationalization and accessibility efforts, including growing the company’s Irish team from just 3 employees to over 700.

AI, Internationalization, and Accessibility
Discover how ServiceNow integrates generative AI and small language models (SLMs) to simplify multilingual workflows, enable self-localization, and ensure seamless global user experiences. Emil also explains why accessibility is becoming mission-critical, with the European Accessibility Act driving innovation in inclusive design.

Customer-Centric Strategies and the Future of Localization
The conversation emphasizes the importance of customer obsession, data-driven decision making, and empowering clients to manage multilingual content at scale. Emil shares why balancing people, processes, and technology is essential to operationalizing AI in enterprise environments.

Industry Challenges and Opportunities
From hiring for mindset and transferable skills to redefining what “good” looks like in global UX, Emil offers practical advice for leaders navigating rapid change in the language management and technology sectors.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the intersection of AI, accessibility, and customer-driven innovation in the global tech industry.