Chris Voss

High Stakes, Human Dynamics.

Chris Voss is a globally recognized negotiation authority and bestselling author of Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It, a seminal book that reshaped how business leaders, entrepreneurs, and professionals approach negotiation.

With more than 24 years in the FBI, Chris rose to become the lead international kidnapping negotiator, charged with resolving some of the most sensitive and dangerous cases across the globe. In these high-stakes environments, he developed and refined a game-changing negotiation methodology based on Tactical Empathy: the ability to deeply recognize and validate counterparts' perspectives and emotions in order to build trust and shape their decision-making.

• Former FBI lead international kidnapping negotiator
  Chris handled high-pressure cases where listening, timing, and language could change the outcome.
• Author of Never Split the Difference
  His bestselling book reshaped how leaders, entrepreneurs, and professionals approach negotiation.
• Founder of The Black Swan Group
  After retiring from the FBI, Chris founded The Black Swan Group, where his team helps high-net-worth entrepreneurs, Fortune 500 companies, small businesses, and individuals master negotiation.
• Sought-after keynote speaker
  Chris has lectured at institutions including Harvard Law School and Georgetown University, bridging life-and-death negotiations with everyday business and personal conversations.

Chris Voss's mission is simple yet profound: to empower people to negotiate better outcomes by understanding the human dynamics that drive every decision.