Carles Puyol
FC Barcelona Captain (2004–2014) | 21-Time Major Trophy Winner | World Cup & Euro Champion with Spain | LaLiga, UEFA & FIFA Ambassador
Chris Voss
Former Lead FBI International Kidnapping Negotiator | Bestselling Author of Never Split the Difference | Founder & CEO, The Black Swan Group | World's #1 Negotiation Coach
Chris Voss spent 24 years talking people out of the most dangerous situations on earth as the FBI's lead international kidnapping negotiator. Today he teaches the world to use those same skills in business, through his global bestseller Never Split the Difference, his MasterClass, and his firm, The Black Swan Group. On stage, Voss gives audiences tactical empathy and field-tested techniques to defuse conflict, build trust, and win any negotiation.
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Chris Voss biography
Management speaker Chris Voss is the world’s foremost authority on high-stakes negotiation, a former lead FBI international kidnapping negotiator who has turned the techniques that saved lives into a method for business. He is the author of the global bestseller Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It, written with Tahl Raz, which has sold more than five million copies and become one of the most influential books ever written on negotiation.
Over a 24-year career with the FBI, Voss served as the bureau’s lead international kidnapping negotiator and as its hostage negotiation representative on the National Security Council’s Hostage Working Group. He was the lead crisis negotiator for the FBI’s New York City division and spent 14 years on the NYC Joint Terrorism Task Force, working high-profile cases including the Blind Sheikh prosecution and the TWA Flight 800 investigation. He also negotiated the surrender of the Chase Manhattan bank robber, the first hostage-taker in U.S. history to give up voluntarily.
From the FBI to the Boardroom
After retiring from the FBI, Voss founded The Black Swan Group, a consulting firm that advises Fortune 500 companies through their most complex negotiations. His expertise was forged through training with the FBI, Scotland Yard, and Harvard Law School, and he later earned a master’s in public administration from Harvard. His service was recognized with the Attorney General’s Award for Excellence in Law Enforcement and the FBI Agents Association Award for Distinguished and Exemplary Service.
Today Voss teaches negotiation in MBA programs at the University of Southern California and Georgetown University, has lectured at Harvard, MIT, and Northwestern’s Kellogg School, and reaches a global audience through his popular MasterClass. His insights are regularly featured in outlets such as TIME, Fortune, and The Washington Post.
As a speaker, Chris Voss gives audiences the exact tools he once used to save lives: tactical empathy, calibrated questions, and the art of getting people to say “that’s right.” He shows leaders, sales teams, and executives how to defuse conflict, build trust fast, and secure better outcomes in any high-pressure conversation. Riveting, funny, and intensely practical, he sends every audience back to work able to negotiate with new confidence.
Chris Voss Speaking Videos
Chris Voss - Never Split The Difference
Chris Voss - How to Succeed at Hard Conversations
Chris Voss Keynote Topics
Drawing on his bestseller Never Split the Difference, former FBI hostage negotiator Chris Voss reveals the counterintuitive approach behind every successful negotiation: tactical empathy. He shows how truly understanding the other side, rather than trying to out-argue them, opens the door to trust, influence, and agreements that work for everyone. Audiences leave with techniques they can use in their very next high-stakes conversation.
Why do so many important conversations go wrong? Voss challenges the negotiation myths most of us were taught and replaces them with field-tested tools, from calibrated questions to the surprising power of "no." In this high-energy session, he gives leaders and teams a practical playbook for staying calm, building rapport, and steering any difficult conversation toward the outcome they want.
Every deal, sale, and partnership comes down to negotiation. Voss translates the skills he used in life-or-death situations into concrete strategies for the boardroom: how to uncover what the other side really wants, defuse tension, and secure better terms without damaging the relationship. It's a masterclass in turning difficult negotiations into lasting, profitable agreements.
The best leaders are the best communicators, especially when the stakes are high. Drawing on a career spent defusing crises, Voss shows how tactical empathy and active listening help leaders build trust fast, align teams, and make sound decisions under intense pressure. Audiences leave with a practical framework for leading calmly and persuasively when it matters most.
Speaker topics
FAQs on Booking Chris Voss
Why Chris Voss?
Booking Chris Voss brings your audience the world's most recognized authority on negotiation, and one of the few speakers whose methods were literally a matter of life and death. As the FBI's former lead international kidnapping negotiator and the author of the five-million-copy bestseller Never Split the Difference, he distills decades of high-stakes experience into techniques anyone can use. Voss is a riveting storyteller who turns real hostage cases into practical lessons on empathy, influence, and trust, leaving audiences with skills they can apply in their very next conversation. Magnetic, funny, and intensely useful, he is a standout choice for events on negotiation, sales, leadership, and communication. Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book Chris Voss for your next event.
What is Never Split the Difference about?
Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It, written by Chris Voss with Tahl Raz, translates the techniques Voss used as an FBI hostage negotiator into a practical system for everyday negotiation. It introduces ideas like tactical empathy, mirroring, labeling, and calibrated questions, and explains why skilled negotiators avoid compromise and instead work to understand the other side. Published in 2016, it has sold more than five million copies worldwide.
What is tactical empathy?
Tactical empathy is the core of Chris Voss's negotiation method. It means deliberately understanding and acknowledging the other person's feelings and perspective, then using that understanding to guide the conversation toward a better outcome. Rather than a soft skill, Voss frames it as a precise, strategic tool: by making the other side feel heard, a negotiator builds the trust and influence needed to reach agreement.
What topics does Chris Voss speak about?
Chris Voss speaks on negotiation, persuasion, communication, sales, leadership, and conflict resolution. Drawing on his FBI career and the frameworks in Never Split the Difference, his keynotes give audiences concrete tools, including tactical empathy and calibrated questions, to handle high-stakes conversations with confidence. To book negotiation speaker Chris Voss for your conference or corporate event, contact Aurum Speakers Bureau.
How to book Chris Voss as a keynote speaker?
Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book Chris Voss as a speaker for your next event, conference, or board meeting. Simply fill out our contact form to inquire about Chris Voss's availability for a speaking engagement. One of our booking agents will respond to your request immediately and contact the speaker to let them know you want to hire them. We will assist you with obtaining speaking fees, booking information, and confirming availability for Chris Voss or any other top keynote speaker or celebrity of your choice.
How much is Chris Voss speaking fee?
Chris Voss speaking fees are determined by several factors, including the event's date, whether it's a virtual or in-person event, the duration, format, preparation required for their speech, and more. The same applies to the cost to hire any other top expert speakers and celebrities. The Speaker Fee Range listed on our website is simply a guideline and is subject to change without notice. If you would like to hire Chris Voss to deliver a keynote speech for your event, please fill out the contact form or email us at info@aurumbureau.com with as much detail as possible. One of our experienced agents will get in touch with you and let you know exactly how much it will cost to book Chris Voss.
How can I contact Chris Voss?
We only work with Chris Voss on paid speaking engagements. Aurum Speakers Bureau can assist you in booking Chris Voss and will handle all negotiations, contracts, and logistics associated with having Chris Voss speak at your event. We will be your sole point of contact throughout the process. Get in touch with Aurum Speakers Bureau today, and we will reach out to any motivational speaker or celebrity you want to enquire about speaking at your event. If you wish to contact Chris Voss for any other reason, we will be unable to assist you as we are not authorized to provide personal contact information.
Can I book Chris Voss for a virtual keynote?
Yes, Chris Voss is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book Chris Voss for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.
