Curriculum Vitae
Helge D. Mayer
104 Pringle Road, Milnerton, 7441, Cape Town, South Africa
Tel: +27-(0)21-551 8471 – Fax: +27-(0)21-555 1860 – Mobile: +27-(0)83-738 9449
Email: – Website:
Personal Details
Name:Helge-Dietmar Mayer
Date of Birth:02 July 1967
Place of Birth:Constanta (Romania)
Marital status:Married, 2 children
Nationality:German, SA Permanent Resident
Languages:English, German (native speaker), Spanish, Portuguese,
(reading, writing, understanding and speaking excellent in all).
French (reading, understanding excellent, speaking and writing good).
Educational History
1973-1977Silcher-Grundschule (Stuttgart/Germany)
1978-1985Schelztor-Gymnasium (Esslingen/Germany)
1985-1988College Schule Schloss Salem (Salem/Germany)
Main subjects: Latin, French
1989-1996Studies of Translation Science for Spanish and Portuguese at the University of Heidelberg (Germany). Degree: Master of Translations
The degree as a Master of Translations (“Diplom-Übersetzer“) at the University of Heidelberg requires a vast knowledge in the field of linguistics, as well as the specialisation in one practical subject, such as Economics and Law. As I chose the specialisation in Law, I obtained 3 certificates in Civil Law, Administration Law and European Law. Besides the training in the various fields of Law, comprising the study and comparison of different law systems and the accurate and correct translations into their equivalents, this 4-year study course also provides a profound training for translation in the areas of Economics, Politics, Culture and technical translations. Member of the South African Translator’s Institute (SATI) since 2004 and accredited simultaneous interpreter.
International Experiences
1988/19896 months language study travel through Brazil, Paraguay and Peru as a base for the later studies as translator
19913 months studies at the PUC (Poli-Universidade Católica) in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), employment as language teacher
1992 - 1996Several, in part long term study travels to France, Portugal, Spain, USA, Middle East and South Africa
Since 1997Employment and freelancing in Cape Town
1999Field trip to Mozambique. In 2000 working for 6 weeks in Maputo
Professional Experience
May 1991Employment as language teacher in private language school InterLínguas in Rio de Janeiro
January 1992Establishment of distribution and retail partnership GEKKO MOUNTAIN CYCLES GmbH.
August 1997Employment at Cape Town School of Languages as marketing manager, translator and language teacher.
March 1999Appointment at Leisureplanet Ltd. (leisureplanet.com) as in-house German web site translator.
Since August 2000Freelance translator and interpreter.
Member of the South African Translator’s Institute (SATI) since 2004 and accredited simultaneous interpreter.
Using the latest hard and software, online research tools, experienced CAT user (Trados, WordFast)
My job as Managing Director of GEKKO MOUNTAIN CYCLES enabled me to gather practical skills in the areas of Economics (retail, wholesale, distribution), Marketing and Advertising, in practical things like the creation and set-up of retail shops and trade fair pavilions, as well as in Organisation and Management. Our powerful and aggressive marketing strategy enabled us to penetrate and settle firmly into the fast developing German market section of high-end mountain bikes and to compete successfully with much bigger multinational companies.
Therefore, a particularly important area was the set-up and maintenance of a powerful and future-orientated Computer Database-Network, including the latest technologies such as fax modem network, Internet access, e-mail and more.
Our Marketing required a large variety of high-level but inexpensive brochures, catalogues and other types of sales papers, so the solution was to acquire a Desktop-Publishing workstation. With several courses I became a professional in graphics and layout to avoid the expensive and time-consuming involvement of advertising agencies. My responsibilities in this field also included the creation of Corporate-Identity- and Advertising-concepts and to carry them out on my own. This means that I'm familiar with several software applications, such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PageMaker (layout), FreeHand (graphics) and Photoshop (scanning and image processing). Furthermore, I'm experienced in both Apple-Macintosh and Windows systems.
In Cape Town I have further applied my skills as graphics designer and completed various full-colour catalogues and brochures for a number of clients.
My employment at the Cape TownSchool of English & Foreign Languages enabled me to obtain more experience in the field of Project Management. From September 1998 until February 1999 the institution was approached by a large company, on behalf of their international client. They needed translations done for Internet travel guides into five different languages: German, French, Spanish, Italian and Dutch. This particular project involved translating more than 1,000,000 words per language within a very tight time frame. Due to my combined skills, I was appointed as project manager and had to take on and monitor about 40 different translators for each language.
After the successful completion of this project, the same company, Leisureplanet Ltd, approached me personally and appointed me as their in-house translator. In this position I was exclusively responsible for the development, maintenance and up-dating of the entire German version of their extensive international web site, including booking engines, standardised e-mail communications to clients, travel guides for destinations around the globe, and other extras. At Leisureplanet I was given the opportunity to work in a large corporate environment and I enjoy the teamwork with programmers and web site planners. Until September 2000, when Leisureplanet was liquidated, the results of my work could be viewed under:
Since September 2000 I’m working independently as freelance translator. In the following an overview of some of my most significant assignments:
VPI (Visceral Physiology Institute), a Swiss-South African multinational medical research institute, appointed me as main Portuguese translator for a clinical study on amputees in Maputo/Mozambique. From July 2000, I was involved in the planning and preparation of the study, including the negotiations with the relevant Mozambican authorities, the translation of the study material into Portuguese, and finally working with the patients on site for six weeks in the Hospital Geral de Machava outside Maputo.
In October 2000 I worked with People’s Dialogue, a Cape Town based grass root development NGO, who hired me for one week as a Portuguese interpreter for 5 Brazilian social workers. Together we visited various housing projects in townships around Cape Town and attended a conference organised by People’s Dialogue on the same subject.
For The Gerald & Marc Hoberman Collection I have translated two sophisticated books into German. First “Kapstadt” (“Cape Town”, ISBN 1-919734-02-3) in 1999 and in 2002 “Die Tierwelt” (“Wildlife”, ISBN 1-919734-46-5), requiring extensive zoological and historical research. Besides that, I am frequently consulted for updating and proof-reading.
In March 2003 I translated “By the Fireside” (ISBN 0 86486 487-6) from Roger Webster for the publishing house New Africa Books into German (“Am Lagerfeuer”), a 150-page book with stories about South Africa’s history.
In late 2003, the multinational NGO International Security Studies commissioned me to translate the Angolan Constitution from Portuguese into English.
Since 2004 I have specialised in certified translations for legal documents for immigration purposes, offering an expedient overnight service. Therefore, among my regular clientsare most of the leading immigration agencies in South Africa, which daily rely on my speedy, professional and reliable service.
In April 2005 I was hired by the Secretariat of the African Decade for People with Disabilities as simultaneous interpreter for Portuguese during a 5-day conference with 30 delegates from all over Africa.
During 2005 and 2006, the engineering company Kwezi V3 Engineerscommissioned me to translate into Portuguese the entire engineering project documentation for the rehabilitation of one of the major Angolan trade ports, starting from the contract negotiations, to the building specifications, as well as the tender documentation, etc.
SinceCape Town has become a first class international conference destination, Iamserving as simultaneous interpreter (SATI-accredited)for international conferences (e.g. Railway Security Conference, October 2005, LordCharlesHotel, Somerset West;JohnsonJohnson,October 2005, CTICC Cape Town; Int. Roofing Federation, November 2005, CTICC Cape Town).
Over the years, I have built strong contacts with international clients from the US, Canada, Germany, andIndia, etc., mainlytranslation agencies specialising in large translation projects of technical nature. They are used to always receive a quick, professional and reliable service, according to the latest international standards of the industry.
References:
References can be obtained from the following companies:
Philip Morris South Africa
Mrs. Tammy Ferreira, Milnerton / Cape Town, Tel. +27-(0)21-527 4854,
Kwezi V3 Engineers
Mr. Graham Isaac, Durban, Tel. +27-(0)31-275 8500,
Anriek Light Engineering
Mr. Anthon Botha, Cape Town, Tel. +27-(0)84-658 8175,
ISS (International Security Studies)
Mr. Peter Gastrow, Cape Town, Tel. +27-(0)21- 461 7211,
Leisureplanet Ltd.
Mrs. Louise Dickinson, Bellville / Cape Town, Tel. +27-(0)21- 910 4000
VPI (Visceral Physiology Institute)
Mrs. Lauren Hill, GrooteSchuurHospital, Cape Town, Tel. +27-(0)21- 447 50 69,
People’s Dialogue
Observatory, Cape Town, Tel. +27-(0)21 - 447 4740
The Gerald & Marc Hoberman Collection
Mrs. Roelien Theron, Observatory, Tel. +27-(0)21 - 447 4495,
New Africa Books
Mrs. Cherie Wright, Claremont, Cape Town, Tel. +27-(0)21- 674 4136,
Cape TownSchool of English / Cape TownSchool of Languages
Mrs. Manya Bredell, Claremont / Cape Town, Tel. +27-(0)21-644 118
International Business Network
Mr. Andreas Krensel, Greenpoint, Cape Town, Tel. +27-(0)21- 421 8338,
SA Business & Migration Services
Mrs. Natalie Morta, Cape Town, Tel. +27-(0)21- 465 0333
CapeImmigration Compass
Mrs. Cheryl D. Pooth, Cape Town, Tel. +27-(0)21-461 8804,
Immigration Alert
Mrs. Beverley La Kay, Cape Town, Tel. +27-(0)21- 426 1400,
Two Oceans Productions
Mr. Hein Kershaff, Paarden Eiland, Cape Town, Tel. +27-(0)21- 506 3300,
The Secretariat of the African Decade for People with Disabilities
Mrs. Ratula Beukman, Cape Town, Tel. +27-(0)21-426 5858,
FOLIO Translation Consultants
Mr. Johan Botha, Cape Town, Tel. +27-(0)21-426 2727,
Bohle Conference & Language Services
Mrs. Barbara Bohle, Cape Town, Tel. +27-(0)21-447 4935,
QuickStep Translations
Kathinka Lavelle, Högsdorf-Flehm (Germany) Tel: +49 (0)4381-404508,