Negotiation strategies to thrive in a challenging market
Wealth and Asset Management
The ultimate blade
Wealth and asset management (WAM) firms do not merely steward capital—they negotiate mandates, fund structures, institutional partnerships, and client terms to secure financial dominance. The most successful firms embed negotiation into every aspect of fee structuring, fund allocation, and regulatory positioning. Those that fail to do so sacrifice billions in lost management fees, diluted investment control, and margin compression.
WAM Leaders who outgrow and outearn live by these strategic negotiation imperatives:
Assets Under Management (AUM) is Negotiated—Not Collected
Leading WAM firms do not passively gather assets—they negotiate discretionary control, mandate terms, and long-duration fee arrangements to secure revenue stability. Poor negotiators settle for volatile inflows, diluted control, and weaker asset retention.
Control the Fund Structure—Or Be Controlled By It
Fund structures define who holds decision-making power over investments, liquidity terms, and fee waterfalls. Market leaders negotiate exclusive investor rights, optimize carry structures, and align incentives to protect their capital base. Weaker firms concede investor demands, weakening governance and long-term profitability.
Fee Compression and Regulatory Costs Are Negotiated, Not Absorbed
Leading firms proactively negotiate with institutional clients, regulators, and service providers to sustain pricing power. Strong firms embed negotiation into vendor contracts, tax strategies, and compliance frameworks to optimize operational costs and protect net margins.
Negotiation Discipline Secures Market Leadership
Market-leading WAM firms do not rely solely on investment performance—they negotiate differentiated investor offerings, exclusive distribution partnerships, and institutional co-investment agreements to reinforce competitive advantage and premium positioning.
Wealth and asset management firms invest heavily in portfolio performance and operational efficiency to lift EBIT by 1.5%–2%. Yet, CEOs confirm that world-class negotiation capabilities consistently drive EBIT gains of 3%–5%—a direct impact on revenue, profitability, and long-term AUM growth. Despite this, negotiation remains an underutilized and undervalued capability, leaving significant value on the table.
Strategic negotiation transforms mandate acquisition, fee structuring, and operational efficiency—securing higher-value investor agreements, optimizing cost structures, and protecting long-term competitive positioning. WAM firms that embed negotiation mastery into their fund governance, investor alignment, and regulatory strategy consistently outperform competitors.
We help wealth and asset management leaders develop elite negotiation capabilities to optimize client agreements, enhance fee structures, strengthen investment partnerships, and build long-term market leadership.
Exactly how much is poor negotiation performance costing you?
We can tell you
A $400B revenue gap looms by 2028 (Oliver Wyman, 2024), a spiked mace crushing AUM as growth slows (5.9% CAGR, PwC, 2024) and fines hit $400M yearly (PwC, 2024). Our solutions master M&A and regulatory talks, ripping terms from regulators’ claws to choke the bleed and lock in dominance.
20 Basis Points
Weak client deals erode revenue by up to 12% without premium terms (McKinsey, 2023, p. 14), trust rotting like a plague as wealth dangles over a jagged pit. Our solutions arm you to forge ironclad agreements, enhancing wealth management and private banking negotiations, smashing long-term value into granite against the creeping decay.
15%
Feeble ESG deals inflate compliance costs by 12-15% (BCG, 2023, p. 18), a spiked mace crushing sustainability as regulators strangle access. Our solutions arm you to forge compliant terms, navigating sustainability and ESG mandates, ripping market edge from the claws to choke the penalty bleed.
10%
Negotiation is the bridge between strategy and execution. This operating model clarifies where negotiation work must happen, how it must be done, and who must be accountable. It treats negotiation not as a soft skill, but as a structured capability—one that links commercial intent to operational delivery. This is the blueprint for how negotiation is organised, governed, and deployed to deliver outcomes at scale
Commercial & Operational Imperatives
Is your team leaving money on the table in critical negotiations?
Most costs don’t show up in the budget—they leak through poor preparation, untraded concessions, and unnecessary escalation.
Kennedy equips your commercial and back-office teams to trade with discipline, push back with clarity, and protect value under pressure.
We focus where margin is most at risk—long before it shows up in the numbers.
Are your joint ventures and partnerships set up to create value—or just hope for it?
Most growth strategies fail not because of ambition, but because roles, returns, and exit paths were never properly negotiated.
We counsel leadership teams on joint ventures, alliances, and regulatory negotiations—focusing on the terms that matter: clarity, governance, and alignment that hold under pressure.
Is your team equipped to execute strategy when roles blur and priorities compete?
Most organisations don’t break down because of poor intent—they break down when strategic decisions get stuck between unclear ownership, internal politics, and avoided collboration.
Kennedy helps your teams collaborate profitably—so decisions stick, execution moves, and alignment holds under pressure
Does your sales team have the tools to create and capture value at the same time?
Most sales teams can close deals. Fewer can protect margin, manage pricing pressure, and trade with discipline under fire. Kennedy’s 8-Step / 4-Phase model helps close the gap between go-to-market strategy and bottom-line performance.
Kennedys helps you embed a structured approach to planning and executing deals—improving margins, account profitability, cycle time, and pricing control.
Successful
Execution
Top-Line Profitability
“Sometimes my colleagues give away too much to close a deal, leaving my team with less to work with,” a CFO bluntly observed.
Abandon late-stage price concessions and reactive discount reflexes, and instead implement structured, front-loaded negotiation behaviors that preserve margin, reduce revenue dilution, and align scope with commercial value from day one
Cost Excellence
“Every pound saved is vital, yet our operational talks falter,” a COO lamented
Stop relying on tactical procurement and fragmented approvals, and deploy codified negotiation governance that closes posture gaps, captures savings, and eliminates recurring inefficiencies hidden in supplier and internal negotiations
Internal Alignment
“Teams that fail to decide or collaborate undermine our profitability—it’s a concern,” a manager remarked
Abandon late-stage price concessions and reactive discount reflexes, and instead implement structured, front-loaded negotiation behaviors that preserve margin, reduce revenue dilution, and align scope with commercial value from day one
Corporate Negotiation
“If only we could pick up all the money we are spilling…It’s…in the tens if not hundreds of millions,” head of legal at a Global 500
Move beyond celebratory deal-making and generic diligence checklists, and embed disciplined negotiation structures that protect valuation, define integration terms, and enable post-close execution without value leakage
Corporate Negotiation Learn More
The Solution: Precision Negotiation Powered by Proven Methodology
We don’t just advise; we equip you to win. We help you plan, strategize, and execute corporate negotiations, identify the right negotiators, and build high-performing teams. By deploying the Kennedy negotiation methodology, you unlock tangible results:
- Growth Secured with Precision: Imagine achieving 20% synergy gains (McKinsey, 2021) on your acquisitions, joint ventures, and partnerships. Our proven framework makes it a reality, driving measurable expansion.
- Compliance Achieved Efficiently: Navigate the regulatory maze with confidence. Our structured approach ensures compliance, delivering substantial savings—like the £15 million our clients saved on public sector contracts.
- Returns Maximised Effectively: Eliminate post-transaction setbacks and optimize capital allocation. Our disciplined process ensures that every deal delivers flourishing, high-value outcomes.
Exactly how much is poor negotiating behaviour costing you? We can tell you
Advisory
Trusted advice boosts your high-stakes deals—saves millions, sharpens strategy, keeps it confidential for CEOs and Boards
What we bring to the table
- Sharp due diligence assesses your team’s negotiation strength—ensuring the right players lead from day one.
- M&A prep secures 20% synergy gains (Call for ref)—we manage complex stakeholders so your strategy lands.
- Total confidentiality protects your sensitive moves—our 40-year track record keeps rivals out, your goals in.
Simulations
Tailored process picks your best negotiators—Find and train the perfect negotiator for your toughest deals.
What we bring to the table
Assessment
Spot and build your next negotiation stars for lasting impact
What we bring to the table
- Our 8-step/4-phase lens—trusted by 500,000—sizes up talent with clear, measurable behaviours, no guesswork.
- Firm-wide audits match negotiation to your goals—your rising stars, ready for critical moments.
- Pre- and post-training checks show real uplift—your team’s edge, locked in.
Performance Coaching
Lift your top negotiator’s game with expert coaching
What we bring to the table
- Seasoned CNO coaches craft your deal plan—tailored to your context, no nonsense, just results.
- Step-by-step wins keep you on track—20% faster prep
- Practical expertise from FTSE 100 battles—your deals, maxed out, one win at a time.
Capability Building
Train your team to negotiate with top-tier skills
What we bring to the table
- Workshops and deal coaching embed skills—basic to certified, your team’s sharp from day one.
- Profitable Team Advantage: Practical tools boost collaboration—10-12% efficiency gains (McKinsey, 2023)—turning rows into real results.
- Team Payoff: Your team shares ideas for higher customer satisfaction (internal data)—innovation and profit, delivered fast.
Organisational Effectiveness
Align your team for smarter decisions and stronger collaboration
What we bring to the table
- Smarter Decisions: We assess and improve your team’s ability to make fast, effective choices—quicker wins keep you ahead (analyst data)—no delays.
- Stronger Teamwork: We build skills in influence, communication, conflict, and change—our 4 key pillars (Kennedy research)—driving higher returns
- Practical tools streamline how your team tackles tough issues with real results.
License Our Content
Power your in-house training with our proven expertise.
What we bring to the table
- Quick plug-ins for your academies—top-notch kit, ready to roll, proven by global leaders.
- Train-the-trainer options let your team run it—cost-smart, big impact, tailored your way.
- Elite solutions from FTSE 100 and academic runs—your training, powered by unmatched expertise.
2.5x
44/1
ROI within just six months of implementation
3.5x
280
Impact of Improving Negotiation Performance
Research proves it: execs who embed negotiation as a corporate capability shred inefficiencies and claw back billions.
Valuation
PitchBook (2023)—20-30% M&A swings, $2-3B on $10B—ripping terms, not rotting in fines (PwC, 2024).
Topline Power
10-15% revenue per investor, $100-150M on $1B—choking cuts, not bleeding to churn (Bain, 2023).
Cost
12-18% ops wins, $50-100M on $500M—vultures stripped, efficiency forged (your 10-15%).
AUM
McKinsey (2023)—15-20% growth, $150-200M on $1B—slashing allocator claws, not fading in fee wars.
Retention
20-25%: Bain (2023)—20-25% wealth gains, $200-250M on $1B—gutting succession losses, forging trust.
