As a seasoned interpreter, Philip Thinggaard is both a practitioner and acute observer of the language industry, especially the role and qualifications of the interpreter. With decades-long experience as a freelance interpreter in Denmark, mainly in courts and police settings, he has participated in debates based on systematic observations of the challenges involved in setting up successful interpreted meetings as a way to promote multilingual societies. So much so that he is involved in work to improve the industry and meet its demands, among other thing by chairing Interpreters of Denmark (Tolkesamfundet).