Emil Michael

“Most books on negotiation focus too much on tactics and not enough on people,” says Emil Michael, a leading tech entrepreneur who has raised over $25 billion and led landmark deals around the globe. One striking example: he closed an $8 billion deal in China in just 60 days by understanding cultural nuances—right down to selecting the perfect drink at dinner. “To negotiate well, you need to understand what motivates the person across the table,” he says. “Are they chasing a promotion? Is their company under pressure? What’s going on in their personal life? Especially in cross-cultural settings, empathy and respect are essential.”

In this engaging talk, Emil shares the behind-the-scenes stories of his biggest negotiation wins—from turning a $300 million offer from Microsoft into an $800 million acquisition, to launching Uber in new global markets. His powerful real-world lessons highlight how human connection, cultural awareness, and strategic thinking can elevate any negotiation. Audiences leave with a fresh, actionable perspective on how to approach high-stakes conversations.

Leadership starts with understanding your own style: Do you prioritize hiring ‘spikes’—specialists with deep expertise—or do you favor versatile generalists? And how do you build a strong, unified team when employees are scattered across the globe? In a small startup of under 50 people, hiring top talent that fits the company culture is manageable. But as a business scales and you’re no longer involved in every hiring decision, how do you maintain quality and cultural alignment?

As Uber’s Chief Business Officer, Emil Michael faced this challenge head-on during the company’s rapid global expansion. In this impactful talk, he reveals how he built a high-performance culture that stayed resilient under pressure. Emil offers practical strategies for creating a consistent hiring process, embedding cultural values at scale, tailoring leadership approaches across different regions, and managing a team of either elite specialists or adaptable generalists. Attendees walk away with actionable tools to shape strong, mission-driven teams at any growth stage.

In a startup’s early days, survival takes center stage—and with it comes a deeply tribal mindset. The team rallies around a shared mission, roles are fluid, and everyone contributes to solving urgent problems. This close-knit, all-hands-on-deck approach creates a powerful sense of unity, essential for pushing the business forward when resources are limited and the odds are stacked against you.

But once the company finds product-market fit and begins scaling, the game changes. Growth demands structure. Teams need clear roles, efficient capital allocation, and systems that can support broader, more complex operations. Stakeholders multiply, and priorities diversify. Just like a growing civilization, the company must evolve beyond survival mode to build something sustainable.

For fast-moving tech companies, this evolution doesn’t happen slowly. It needs to happen fast—and smart. The challenge is implementing structure without stifling innovation. Move too slowly, and chaos reigns. Move too rigidly, and you risk falling into the Innovator’s Dilemma. Finding the right balance between speed and discipline is one of the biggest tests for any high-growth company aiming to scale without losing its edge.