The Committee
Geoffrey Buckingham, Chairman
Geoffrey worked at a senior level in marketing and sales in the financial services sector for twelve years before taking up his career in CJS interpreting in 1993. He served on the Committee on two previous occasions, and it was he who prepared the very first computerised list of members in 1994. "That was a long time before online databases," he says.
Geoffrey was first elected Chairman in 2006, then re-elected in 2008 and again in October 2010. He has driven a programme of modernisation, professionalisation and documentation of processes which are now indispensable to the Association. He combines these with the development of close working relationships with work providers such as HM Courts and Tribunals Service, police constabularies and ACPO. More recently he has led the Association into membership of FIT and EULITA, whose advice and assistance is now so important. "Our future progress depends upon these relationships and being taken seriously," he says, adding, "we absolutely must be seen as providers of solutions."
If you wish to contact Geoffrey, his mobile number is 07973 759676.
Alan Thompson, Secretary
Alan has been working as a Public Service Interpreter in Spanish for about 18 years, after a career in education. He combines interpreting with translation, specialising in law, accounting and finance and economics. He is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Linguists and the Institute of Translation and Interpreting, held the post of Membership Secretary in 1991, and was responsible for preparing the Membership Directory in 1991, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004 and 2008.
He is concerned to see the inroads being made in our profession by agencies, the increase in the use of under-qualified and inexperienced interpreters, and the detrimental effect that this is having on the fees earned by those of us who have worked hard to gain our qualifications. He shares the concerns expressed by many Members about the use of the National Register and the failure of many police forces to comply with the National Agreement.
He says, "I will work to ensure that the APCI regains the influential role it once enjoyed within the decision-making process, and its former prestige as the foremost professional body representing the interests of public service interpreters."
Alan was first elected in 2006, then in 2008 and again in 2010.
If you wish to contact Alan, his mobile phone number is 07703 358505.
Stanley Beecham, Membership Secretary
Born and raised in London, Stanley lived for several years in Argentina, Israel and France, where he acquired his knowledge of Spanish, Hebrew and conversational French. He started his working life in the Travel and Tourism industry, becoming a full-time interpreter in 1993. He has been a member of the APCI and the National Register since 1998 and joined the Chartered Institute of Linguists as a full member in 2003.
Stanley accepted nomination as candidate for Membership Secretary because he believes that the common sense and general skills he has acquired during his working life have equipped him with the ability to approach problems and issues from a variety of perspectives. This enables him to represent the needs and concerns of the Association and its Members both present and future.
He says, "I will contribute where possible in order to further the interests of the Association in the best way I can. Having taken note of comments made by colleagues and friends, I am glad to have played a role in improving the service we offer to new applicants to an acceptable level." Stanley was first elected in 2006, then in 2008 and again in 2010.
If you wish to contact Stanley, his mobile phone number is 07973 247073.
Aqil Minhas, Treasurer
After leaving University in 1956 Aqil joined the ICWA (Institute of Cost and Works Accountants) and worked as an Assistant Accountant at a textile mill in Karachi from 1957 to 1960. He joined the Swissboring Corporation, Karachi/Zurich as Assistant Group Accountant where he worked from 1960 to 1965, coming to the UK in 1965 where he joined the Institute of Certified Accountants, working as Assistant Group Accountant with the Compton Group of Film Companies from 1965 to 1969. He joined the World Film Services Group of Film Companies as Group Accountant and Company Secretary where he worked from 1969 to 1975.
Additionally he was Head of Film Production Accounts, controlling Production Accounts from Budget to Completion on an average of four films a year.
In 1975 he joined the Libra/Forest/Rhino Group of Film Companies and headed the Group as Managing Director/CEO/Director of Finance, and his Group was actively involved in the acquisition and distribution of films in Europe, North, East & West Africa, Middle East, South East Asia, Far East, Australia and New Zealand. In pursuit of buying and selling films he extensively travelled in the above territories and participated in the major Film Festivals around the world.
Aqil was elected firstly in 2006, then in 2008 and 2010.
Omer TuranOmer read for his Master’s Degree in International Marketing at the University of East London. On completing it in 1976 he returned to Turkey.
Originally from Istanbul, where he was born and bred, Omer spent his early business life in foodstuffs, culminating as Vice President of the Turkish Food Conglomerate (ETI).
In 1995 he returned to the UK with his wife and two children and started a bed and breakfast business, but he was attracted to interpreting due to his linguistic skills. He began with the Home Office, and then gained status on the Metropolitan Police list, and has strong feelings about the low standards in CJS interpreting, with unqualified and inexperienced interpreters being used. Omer says, "Standards need to be raised and applied to everybody. Agencies should have no place in the Court system." Having joined the Association several years ago, he is sure that "the APCI is uniquely placed to play a big role in the true professionalisation of CJS interpreting".
Omer works as Court Liaison Officer for the Association, with responsibility for educating Court staff in the need to comply with the National Agreement, and raise awareness of the APCI, in particular the Membership Directory, APCI Response and the e-Directory. He was first elected in 2006, then in 2008 and again in 2010.
Sue Leschen, Committee Member  Sue initially worked as a solicitor and “fell into interpreting by accident” whilst working in the litigation department of a large Town Hall when a French speaker was suddenly required.
She set up her legal French interpreting business “Avocate” (woman lawyer) in 2003 and has never looked back. She mainly works as a PSI in the CJS but also lectures and writes widely on the subject of professional conduct and ethics for interpreters. More recently she has run interactive legal terminology workshops for colleagues on a variety of legal subjects and to date these have all been sold out. She plans to run more of the same in 2012 due to her commitment to CPD and also due to an encouraging demand for training from her colleagues. She is a member of the CIOL, the ITI, the PIA and the NWTN. She also holds a BA in Social Studies. Sue is an “interpreter’s interpreter” and she is committed to the promotion, protection and recognition of public service interpreting in the face of the current threat of outsourcing of our work to the possibly (probably) unqualified, inexperienced and no doubt unvetted persons purporting to be interpreters that we stand to be replaced by. Sue was elected unopposed to the Committee in October 2012.
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Zakir Hossain, Committee Member 
Zakir is originally from Bangladesh and came to Britain about 20 years ago. He started his interpreting / translation career in 1998. Zakir became a National Register interpreter about 11 years ago on the basis of 1000 hours of proven work, and then obtained his DPSI (Law) in 2002 and passed the Metropolitan Police Test in 2003. He then went on to join the Metropolitan Police Service as an official interpreter in the Bengali and Sylheti languages.
Zakir is also studying BA Hons in Advice Studies with the Staffordshire University by distance learning. Zakir would like to work as an Adviser in the future on the side of interpreting. He is an official interpreter for Police, HM Courts & Tribunals Service, Asylum and Immigration Tribunals, Home Office (UKBA) and UK Government Agencies.
Zakir is a member of the Chartered Institute of Linguists, Association of Police and Court Interpreters and Society for Public Service Interpreting.
Zakir was elected unopposed to the Committee in October 2011.