Saudi-Russian Investment Forum: Video Translation Bridges the Deal Gap

When Live Interpretation Isn't Enough

The Saudi-Russian Investment and Business Forum (December 4, 2025, Riyadh) was one of the most significant bilateral business events of the year. With billions of dollars in potential deals spanning energy, infrastructure, technology, and agriculture, the stakes were enormous.

Simultaneous interpreters were on hand — and they did exceptional work. But here's what many people don't realize: the interpreters handle the live sessions. What happens with the hours of recorded presentations, pitch videos, due diligence materials, and marketing content that delegates exchange before, during, and after the forum?

That's where video localization enters the picture.

The Content Gap in International Forums

We tracked the content flow at the forum and identified a clear pattern:

• Pre-forum: Companies sent video pitches and company presentations in their native language (Arabic or Russian). Most had no translated version.
• During forum: Live interpretation covered keynotes and panels. But breakout sessions, 1-on-1 meetings, and corridor conversations often lacked language support.
• Post-forum: Follow-up materials, recorded sessions, and due diligence videos needed translation for internal review by teams who weren't present.

The result? Deals slowed down because decision-makers back in Moscow or Riyadh couldn't review the video materials in their language.

Real Cases from the Forum

Energy Partnership

A Saudi energy company had prepared a 45-minute facility tour video for potential Russian partners. It was entirely in Arabic. The Russian delegation was interested but couldn't evaluate the technical content until it was translated — a process that traditionally takes 2-3 weeks for video content.

With AI video localization, the same video can be dubbed into Russian in under 4 hours, maintaining the original speaker's voice characteristics and ensuring technical terminology is accurately conveyed.

Agricultural Technology

A Russian agtech startup wanted to present their crop monitoring system to Saudi Agricultural Development Fund officials. Their demo videos were in Russian. English subtitles existed, but the Saudi team preferred Arabic audio for internal review.

Video dubbing with voice cloning solved this: the startup's CEO's voice, speaking Arabic, presenting the technology — creating a more persuasive and professional impression than subtitles ever could.

Infrastructure Investment

A Russian construction firm bid on a NEOM subcontract. Their project portfolio video showcasing completed projects in Russia needed Arabic localization — not just translation, but cultural adaptation of the narration style to match Saudi business expectations.

Arabic-Russian: A Growing Language Pair

Arabic-Russian is one of the fastest-growing language pairs for video localization in 2025:

• Saudi-Russian trade volume grew 25% year-over-year
• OPEC+ coordination drives continuous high-level communication between the two countries
• Military and defense cooperation requires extensive documentation and presentation translation
• Tourism agreements are creating demand for Russian-language marketing content from Saudi destinations

Why Video Localization Beats Subtitles

In high-stakes business contexts, subtitles have clear limitations:

1. Attention split: Viewers can't read subtitles and evaluate visual content simultaneously
2. Authority reduction: A CEO speaking in subtitles feels less authoritative than one speaking in your language
3. Technical content: Complex presentations with charts and data become impossible to follow with subtitles
4. Cultural expectation: In both Saudi and Russian business culture, direct verbal communication carries more weight

AI voice cloning resolves all four issues. The speaker appears to speak the target language naturally, with their own voice characteristics, pacing, and emphasis preserved.

The Vidigo Approach

For international business forums and bilateral events, Vidigo offers:

• Pre-event localization: Translate pitch videos and presentations before you arrive
• Rapid turnaround: Same-day dubbing for urgent content needs during events
• Post-event packages: Localize recorded sessions for internal team review
• Multi-language support: Arabic, Russian, English, and 50+ additional languages

Preparing for 2026

Saudi-Russian business relations are expected to deepen further in 2026, with additional forums planned in both countries. Companies that prepare their video content in both languages will have a significant advantage in deal-making speed.

Don't let language barriers slow down your international deals. Start localizing your business videos with Vidigo →