Liaison interpreting for businesses and the Swiss corporate sector
Liaison interpreting—often referred to as business interpreting—is a specialised form of consecutive interpreting used whenever two or more parties with different language backgrounds need to negotiate directly. Our interpreters transfer statements accurately and sequentially between languages. Because of its bilateral nature, liaison interpreting is regarded as a distinctly dialogue‑driven and highly controlled mode of communication.
Role and working method of liaison interpreters
Our liaison interpreters work bi‑directionally, for example from German into English and back. By interpreting short segments of a conversation, they ensure that the full meaning is retained, enabling participants to focus entirely on the interaction. Although this sequential approach extends the duration of a meeting, it provides a high level of precision and clarity.
Assignments are typically carried out on‑site. Remote interpreting—via telephone or video conference—is also available, allowing the interpreter to join the meeting from a remote location.
Interpreting technique in liaison interpreting
Liaison interpreters generally work without technical equipment. For longer or more complex passages, they may use supplementary notes. Unlike the highly structured note‑taking techniques used in consecutive interpreting or for large conference settings, these notes focus on key figures, proper names and essential terminology to support memory. Note‑taking is optional and depends on the interpreter’s personal style and the length of the segments.
Typical liaison interpreting scenarios for businesses
Our services are tailored exclusively to the business sector and cover situations where linguistic precision, discretion and professional expertise are essential:
- M&A transactions — Interpreting for confidential negotiations, due‑diligence processes and corporate acquisitions in small, high‑stakes settings.
- Commercial contract negotiations — Support for discussions on terms, collaborations or supply agreements (excluding legal advice).
- C‑level and board meetings — Discreet interpreting for executive discussions, board meetings or shareholder sessions.
- Strategic business negotiations — Support by liaison interpreters a joint‑venture talks, partnerships and licensing processes.
- Investor pitches and foundation meetings — Linguistic and cultural support for fundraising rounds and discussions with foundations or investors.
- Corporate finance and banking — Acting as a linguistic bridge in confidential conversations with international financial institutions and investors.
- Delegation visits and corporate receptions — Support for official visits by foreign delegations, partner companies or economic representatives.
- International client and partner meetings — Interpreting for high‑level guests during introductory meetings, site visits or strategic coordination sessions.
We do not provide services for governmental, social or medical contexts (such as healthcare, social services, education or asylum). If your meeting involves a structural power imbalance—such as medical or insurance‑related assessments—we refer you to our dedicated service offering in community interpreting.
Need a liaison interpreter for an upcoming negotiation, board meeting or strategic business discussion? Contact us at any time — we will connect you with a qualified specialist tailored to your corporate context.
Languages and language combinations
We provide qualified professionals for a broad range of language combinations relevant to the Swiss corporate sector:
- Swiss national languages — German, French, Italian and Romansh.
- Core business combinations — German–English, German–French, German–Italian.
- European languages — including Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Russian, Ukrainian and others.
- Non‑European languages — such as Arabic, Turkish, Japanese and additional languages upon request.
- Specialised combinations — tailored arrangements for less common or industry‑specific language pairs.
Client testimonials
"We are very satisfied with the quality of the German-French / French-German liaison interpreting. Our key messages were efficiently conveyed to our business partners".
Caroline Johnson, HR Business Partner DACH, Maisons du Monde, Vertou (FR)
"Thank you so much for the great cooperation with you and the English to Czech and English to Hungarian interpreters. The project went according to plan and it was a pleasure to work with you. I hope there will be further opportunities to work with your company."
Nadia Sotirow, Senior Project Manager, Brave Hearts engagement marketing agency, Warsaw (PL)