Helping DPI communicate online in more languages during the pandemic
Services: Event interpreting
Industries: Finance and real estate
DPI (Development Partners International LLP) is a leading private equity firm that invests in the growth of companies across Africa.
DPI approached Guildhawk in 2020, seeking help to take their Leadership Series events virtual during the pandemic. DPI’s Leadership Series of events are an important part of the company’s annual calendar, bringing together CEOs and Senior Management Teams from the portfolio companies that DPI has invested in – to understand perspectives on performance, share ideas and perceptions, discuss best practices, and learn from each other’s experiences.
It was important to DPI that event attendees were able to hear speakers clearly in their own language, and that they could actively participate in the interactive sessions. They were determined that the move to a virtual event shouldn’t have a negative impact on the overall experience.
Our Expertise
Guildhawk conducted the necessary research, taking DPI’s specific requirements into account, and found that the major remote meeting solutions did not fit the bill. They offered consecutive interpreting options only, which would slow the meeting down significantly. Nor did they allow for translation into multiple different languages at the same time – a non-negotiable for DPI’s international audience.
As such, Guildhawk proposed the use of a specific conferencing platform. This platform had multi-channel capabilities, meaning both required languages – Arabic and French – could be interpreted at the same time, each into a feed directed to relevant participants. It allowed for simultaneous interpreting rather than consecutive – i.e. the interpreting happening at the same time as the original speech, rather than at a delay – and allowed speakers to share presentations and clips at the same time.
The functionality of this platform, combined with our specialist simultaneous interpreters meant the events were able to fully engage all participants, regardless of language, with little to no delay.
The success of their first virtual Leadership event inspired DPI to create a series of virtual Leadership events, during which Management update staff on portfolio company progress and the floor is opened to Q&As.
The Outcome
DPI were able to conduct their Leadership Series of events virtually, with all the bells and whistles that would have come with the in-person version of the events – live presentations, simultaneous interpreting for all, and interactive sessions. As well as being cleaner and more engaging, the use of simultaneous interpreting rather than consecutive prevented the event from overrunning, saving DPI time and money.
The success of their first virtual Leadership event inspired DPI to create a series of virtual Leadership events, during which Management update staff on portfolio company progress and the floor is opened to Q&As. These sessions also come complete with simultaneous interpreting on the new platform, which Guildhawk continues to provide. We look forward to working on many more virtual event series with DPI, fostering the growth and mutual learning of thriving businesses across Africa.
