RWS Appoints Industry Trailblazer Michael Wayne as Head of Media and Entertainment

Appointment of former executive at Papercup, Sony Pictures Entertainment and ABC Television underscores RWS’s investment in AI-powered media localization

MAIDENHEAD, England--(BUSINESS WIRE)--RWS, a content solutions company, powered by technology and human expertise, has named Michael Wayne as Head of Media and Entertainment, a move that underscores the company’s ambition to transform the future of AI-powered media localization.

Based in Los Angeles, Michael joins RWS today to lead the company’s fast-growing media localization business which includes AI dubbing, subtitling and end-to-end content adaptation. His appointment reflects RWS’s accelerated investment in video localization — an area that blends cutting-edge AI with human creativity to help global brands connect with audiences across languages and cultures.

“We’re truly excited to have such an industry pioneer and trailblazer join the team,” said Ben Faes, CEO of RWS. “His combination of creative vision and commercial acumen will supercharge our media localization capabilities and position RWS at the very forefront of this rapidly evolving industry.”

Before joining RWS, Michael served as Chief Commercial Officer at Papercup, whose groundbreaking AI dubbing technology and IP — renowned for accurately capturing a speaker’s tone, pace and emotion — was acquired by RWS earlier in 2025.

“I’m joining RWS at an exciting moment when demand for media localization services has never been higher,” said Michael Wayne. “And with RWS’s leading AI technology and unmatched human expertise, we have a real opportunity to shape the industry and help organizations reach global audiences faster, more efficiently and with even greater impact.”

Michael is also the Co-Founder of Kin Community, a lifestyle media platform serving diverse women’s audiences. He has also held senior leadership and strategic roles at Sony Pictures Entertainment, ABC Television and LAUNCH Media, a digital music media company acquired by Yahoo! in 2001.

A recognized AI thought leader, Michael is also host of The AI Hero Show and board chair of the Artificial Intelligence Los Angeles Community, a nonprofit organization supporting the science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics communities of Greater Los Angeles.

About us

RWS is a content solutions company, powered by technology and human expertise. We grow the value of ideas, data and content by making sure organizations are understood. Everywhere.

Our proprietary technology, 45+ AI patents and human experts help organizations bring ideas to market faster, build deeper relationships across borders and cultures, and enter new markets with confidence – growing their business and connecting them to a world of opportunities.

It’s why over 80 of the world’s top 100 brands trust RWS to drive innovation, inform decisions and shape brand experiences.

With 60+ global locations, across five continents, our teams work with businesses across almost all industries. Innovating since 1958, RWS is headquartered in the UK and publicly listed on AIM, the London Stock Exchange regulated market (RWS.L).

More information: rws.com