Experience

Lax Sebenius LLC

• United States
• Business Consulting and Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Managing Principal

  • 1992 - 31 years

  We give advice on complex negotiations and auctions to companies and governments around the world. We also offer training in negotiation. A significant part of our business involves building the negotiation capabilities of a group within a company (e.g., business development and licensing; large sales; mergers and acquisitions). Our approach is based upon years of research based at Harvard Business School, years of experience as merchant and investment bankers and diplomats, and years of… Show more We give advice on complex negotiations and auctions to companies and governments around the world. We also offer training in negotiation. A significant part of our business involves building the negotiation capabilities of a group within a company (e.g., business development and licensing; large sales; mergers and acquisitions). Our approach is based upon years of research based at Harvard Business School, years of experience as merchant and investment bankers and diplomats, and years of work as negotiation advisors to companies. Our most recent book, 3-D Negotiation (Harvard Business School Press), outlines the approach we have taken with clients such as Royal Dutch Shell, Novartis, Diageo, Estee Lauder, Ericsson, Telstra. Our most recent articles study the interaction of social media and negotiation. We are advising companies in utilizing social media as it pertains to negotiations, including negotiations with activist investors. Show less



Harvard Negotiation Project, Program on Negotiation at Harvard University

• Distinguished Fellow

  • Sep 2009 - 14 years 4 months

  Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States In 2005, I worked with the Carter Center to provide training and advice at Harvard to the parties to the Nepalese civil war and guided the disenfranchised political parties to form an alliance with the Maoists, which contributed to the end of the civil war. In 2014, I organized a joint program between the Partnership for a Secure America and the Program on Negotiation to train a bipartisan group of 40 senior House and Senate staffers in the National Security in the strategy and tactics… Show more In 2005, I worked with the Carter Center to provide training and advice at Harvard to the parties to the Nepalese civil war and guided the disenfranchised political parties to form an alliance with the Maoists, which contributed to the end of the civil war. In 2014, I organized a joint program between the Partnership for a Secure America and the Program on Negotiation to train a bipartisan group of 40 senior House and Senate staffers in the National Security in the strategy and tactics of building coalitions across party lines. This program has been broadened and expanded and is now being delivered in concert with the Library of Congress to help legislators be more effective at creating/modifying bills to advance their visions and interests. I am currently heading a Green Grids Accelerator in cooperation with the Climate Parliament focused on accelerating the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy with a focus on upgrading and expanding grid capacity to connect renewable energy generated in locations where it is inexpensive and reliable with energy consumers in areas where energy is expensive and renewable energy is reliable. We will convene a broad set of interest parties (government, power producers, customers, regulators, banks and development finance) who will identify obstacles to rapid transition and then develop actions to circumvent the obstacles. Generally, I work with my colleague and coauthor Professor James Sebenius and others to analyze complex negotiations and tease out generalizable lessons for how to achieve better results in complex, multi-party negotiations. This work has resulted in the development of our 3D Negotiation approach and a paper on Negotiating Campaigns. More recently, we have produced several articles on negotiation in the age of social media. Show less



Riva

• United States
• Design Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Co-Founder and Chief Negotiation Officer

  • 2018 - Dec 2022

  San Mateo, California Riva HQ uses machine learning and automation to guide coaches who help job candidates negotiate job offers. Riva was sold to Teal HQ.



Summa Capital Management

• United States
• Financial Services

• Managing Director

  • 1996 - 2003

  Contributed statistical and market expertise to the development of models for trading securities. Raised capital from funds of funds and high net worth investors.



First City Capital Corporation

• Vice President

  • 1988 - 1992

  Merchant Banking



Harvard Business School

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Assistant Professor

  • 1981 - 1989

  Taught Negotiation and Managerial Economics.



Brian Freeman Enterprises

• Vice President

  • 1987 - 1988

  Worked as an investment banker in highly unionized industries.