Simultaneous Interpretation for M&A Due Diligence

The interpreter's role in an M&A process

In an M&A process with parties of different languages, due diligence concentrates the heaviest load of technical information. Buyer and seller teams, lawyers, auditors and consultants need to understand each other precisely, and terminology errors can change the perception of risk. The interpreter is, at this stage, part of the workflow: they must master the transaction's vocabulary and maintain confidentiality.

lingo has worked on M&A processes for more than two decades, with documented cases in port logistics, insurance technology and food. Alex Barros interprets English–Portuguese directly, which eliminates the loss of information that occurs when there are intermediaries.

Data room sessions and management presentations

Data room sessions involve document review and question-and-answer exchanges between teams. In them, the interpreter usually works in consecutive or whispered mode (chuchotage) when the group is small, and in simultaneous mode when there are longer presentations. Management presentations, in which the target company's board presents the business to potential buyers, work well in simultaneous, with individual receivers or via RSI.

The choice of format takes into account the number of participants, the duration of the sessions and the sensitivity of the information. In small rooms, light equipment may be enough; for larger presentations, the UHF system with a booth ensures comfort for everyone.

Terminology by type of due diligence

Each due diligence workstream has its own vocabulary. In financial: quality of earnings, working capital, net debt, adjusted EBITDA and contingencies. In legal: material contracts, litigation, licenses, change of control and compliance. In operational and technical: installed capacity, assets, maintenance and operating risks. In environmental: liabilities, licensing and regulatory conformity. In commercial: market, competition, customers and sales contracts.

lingo's sector glossaries bring together terms from 24 sectors, and each process receives a specific glossary built from the materials sent. The sooner the lingo team receives non-sensitive documents, the better the preparation.

Confidentiality in M&A processes

In M&A, confidentiality is decisive. lingo signs an NDA before receiving any material and adopts handling practices: restricted access to documents, use only to prepare the event, and agreed disposal at the end. In remote sessions, we recommend using password-protected virtual rooms, participant control and recording disabled, unless expressly needed.

These practices protect the parties and give security to the process. Trust built in previous engagements also counts: clients who hire lingo again in new transactions are the best indicator that secrecy is respected.

Lead time and preparation

For due diligence, we recommend booking at least 5 to 7 days in advance, which allows receiving the agenda, understanding the scope, building the glossary and aligning the format. In urgent operations, lingo checks availability and quickly reports what is possible. Stating the target company's sector, the due diligence workstreams and the languages speeds up the proposal.

The quote comes out in 60 seconds via WhatsApp or the online calculator and includes interpreter, equipment (if in person), technical operator and logistics, with no hidden items.

Interpretation formats in due diligence

In meetings with few participants, whispered interpretation (chuchotage) allows interpreting without equipment, with the interpreter next to the person who needs the translation. In sessions with more participants or long presentations, UHF or RSI is more suitable. Consecutive interpretation is useful in interviews with management, when the accuracy of each answer weighs more than speed.

lingo recommends the format according to the group size and the nature of the session, and can combine modalities on the same day. What matters is that each session has the format best suited to its purpose.

Frequently asked questions about interpretation in due diligence

Does lingo interpret in physical data rooms? Yes, as long as access is authorized and the equipment fits the space. Does the interpreter need to read data room documents? Normally not; the glossary and an overview of the scope are enough. How do you handle long sessions? With rotation between interpreters and agreed breaks. Does lingo serve processes in other cities? Yes, in person with travel logistics or remotely.

For operations with several workstreams at once, it is worth planning the interpreters' schedule by workstream, avoiding having the same person cover very different sessions on the same day.

Care with numbers, dates and values

In due diligence, numbers matter: contract values, multiples, payment terms, ownership percentages and maturity dates. The interpreter uses specific techniques to record numbers safely, such as quick notes and unit confirmation, and asks for clarification when a value is ambiguous. With different currencies, the practice is to state the value with the currency and, if necessary, repeat it.

It is also important to distinguish conventions: billion in Portuguese and in English coincide, but there are differences in scales and decimal separators. Agreeing with the team on the number-reading standard before sessions avoids misunderstandings that would only appear later.

How to organize the due diligence questions and answers

In a due diligence, questions usually come from a list sent before the session. Sharing this list with the interpreter helps prepare the terms of each area, such as accounting, tax, labor and environmental. During the session, number the questions and ask the speaker to wait until the interpretation ends before continuing, so that each answer is recorded clearly.