négociateur

Négociateur is the French noun for a person who conducts negotiations to reach agreements between parties. The term covers a broad set of activities across business, diplomacy, law enforcement, and organizational settings. The feminine form is négociatrice.

In business, a négociateur handles contract negotiations, supplier agreements, mergers and acquisitions, pricing, and terms. In diplomacy and international relations, negotiators work on treaties, ceasefires, or bilateral accords. In law enforcement and crisis management, a négociateur—a crisis or hostage negotiator—engages with suspects or distressed individuals to de-escalate situations and resolve incidents without violence.

Core responsibilities include identifying interests and needs of all sides, preparing strategy and concessions, communicating clearly, building trust, managing power dynamics, and proposing practical solutions. Ethics, confidentiality, and cultural sensitivity are important.

Essential skills include active listening, empathy, problem-solving, influence without coercion, and the ability to analyze and adapt strategies in real time. Many negotiators have backgrounds in business, law, diplomacy, or psychology, and may receive formal training through degree programs, professional workshops, mediation courses, or simulations. They also employ negotiation concepts such as BATNA (Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement) and ZOPA (Zone of Possible Agreement) to guide discussions.