Since 1984, Centre Européen de la Négociation has been developing its expertise to offer an innovative alternative to traditional negotiation methods. Unlike approaches based on compromise or power dynamics, our methods focus on principled negotiation.
Founder Michel Ghazal‘s meeting with Roger Fisher and William Ury, professors at the Harvard Negotiation Project and pioneers of the “Interest-Based Negotiation” approach, proved decisive. This collaboration led to the introduction and launch of this innovative method in France, including the French translation of their reference works, notably the world bestseller Getting to Yes (Comment réussir une négociation).
Over the years, Michel Ghazal has trained thousands of managers and professional negotiators across public and private organizations. Additionally, he has delivered hundreds of talks on successful negotiation. He also advises managers on business, sales, hierarchical, and social negotiations.
He is the author of France’s first doctoral thesis on negotiation and several books, including:
- Nous deux c’est fini (We two are finished), for negotiating divorce amicably.
- Mange ta soupe et… tais-toi (Eat your soup and shut up), for negotiating with children.
- Circulez, y a rien à négocier (Move along, there’s nothing to negotiate), for negotiations with social partners.
- Si c’était à refaire (If I had to do it over again), for self-negotiation.
Philanthropy and Social Impact
Driven by human values cultivated at the Centre Européen de la Négociation, Michel Ghazal founded the Ghazal Foundation for Education, Research and Peace in Lebanon. Each year, it awards the Prize for Conflict Prevention and Peace to Lebanese NGOs promoting coexistence between communities. Additionally, the foundation provides scholarships to talented students facing financial difficulties.
Thanks to our ongoing collaboration with the Harvard Negotiation Project, our consultants and clients benefit from the latest research and innovations in negotiation and conflict management. Over the decades, this has allowed us to pioneer the dissemination of principled negotiation.
Market Leadership
By adapting this approach to French and European business cultures, the European Negotiation Centre grew steadily from the 1990s onward, establishing itself as a market leader in negotiation training in France and Europe.
Our team provides practical solutions for a wide range of negotiation needs: with clients, suppliers, distribution networks, trade unions, internal management, and cross-functional teams.
Moreover, we adapt our methods to local cultures. This ensures multinational clients’ teams benefit from consistent negotiation tools and practices worldwide.