Impact Negotiation Group

Impact Negotiation Group supports clients with their commercial challenges. We work closely together with our clients by providing support in negotiations, improving and integrating negotiation processes, and offering specialized negotiation training. 

Our experience covers a variety of industries.
✅ 	Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG)
✅ 	Pharmaceutical
✅ 	Private Equity
✅ 	IT Services

Additionally, we work across various functional areas, such as:
✅ 	Sales and Business Development
✅ 	Procurement
✅ 	Human Resources (focusing on employee relations)
✅ 	Market Access

For more information visit: www.impactnegotiationgroup.com or directly book a call with me with the link above.

Founding Partner & Negotiation Consultant

NPM Capital

As Manager of Procurement Services I:
➢ Helped NPM Capital participations companies increase their commercial results
➢ Improving the ROI for NPM Capital
➢ Advisory: support NPM Participations with strategic negotiations (both sales & procurement).
➢ Buying optimization: identifying and executing joint procurement projects.
➢ Establishing networks between (ex) participations functions for knowledge sharing.
➢ Establishing a database for best practices & setting up gross group learning and developing initiatives.

Manager NPM Procurement Services

The Gap Partnership

As Senior Consultant & Client Director I helped my clients in different industries (Retail, Pharma, FMCG and Oil & Gas) with their commercial challenges by supporting all aspects of the negotiation process. My role focused on realizing the optimal result of any commercial challenge:
➢ Strategy Development.
➢ Tactical Planning.
➢ Communication Planning.
➢ Risk identification and mitigation.
➢ Negotiation Coaching.
➢ Business Development.
➢ Key Account Management.

Senior Consultant & Client Director

As Consultant & Client Director, I helped my clients with:
➢ Negotiation consultancy (tactical and strategic).
➢ Negotiation coaching.
➢ Workshops on negotiation, aimed at long-term behavioural change.
➢ Business Development.
➢ Key Account Management.

Consultant & Client Director

Shell

As Procurement Manager, I was responsible for the Capex and Opex spend for the BeNeLux Retail Network (500+ retail stations), annual spend 100+mln EUR. I provided: 
➢ Contract management (EPCM & FMCG contracts).
➢ Tender development & execution.
➢ Claim management.
➢ Continuous improvement.
➢ Change management.
➢ Negotiations.

Procurement Manager Retail Networks

As Contract Engineer Wells, I was responsible for the commercial management of major well contracts of the Majnoon Oil Field (Basrah, Iraq, annual spend of 150mln USD). I provided:
➢ Tender development and execution.
➢ Claim management.
➢ Contract management (EPC and Service contracts).
➢ Contract & commercial negotiations.
➢ Relationship management with internal and external (government) stakeholders.
➢ Management over a team of 6 Iraqi graduates, training them in procurement.

Contract Engineer Wells

I worked on the ultra fast track FCP Gas Project for the Majnoon Oil Field, Iraq, responsible for CAPEX spend of 80mln USD. I provided:
➢ Project Management.
➢ Contract management and ensuring proper contract execution.
➢ Commercial negotiations.
➢ Risk identification and control.
➢ EPCM contractor management and managing the contractors' procurement departments.

Contract Engineer- Projects (Majnoon Iraq Gas)

➢ Responsible for the procurement and contract management of four capital projects at the Pernis Refinery with a combined spend of US$200 plus million.

Contract and Procurement Lead

➢ Responsible for C&P Management Reporting and driving continuous improvements.

C&P Upstream International Reporting Analyst

LifeTunes

➢ Operations manager for the startup LifeTunes.

Operations Manager (start-up)

Early on in my career I was tasked with negotiating a contract worth over 200 million dollars. 😮

I had no formal training in negotiation and felt ill prepared for the challenge😟. Over a period of 9 months (and some notable moments such as a the other negotiator dropping his pants and showing me his backside🙈) the deal concluded with us realizing a cost saving of 45%.

That experience has been lifechanging💡, and for the past 7 years I have dedicated my career to helping others maximize their deals. Leading to me co-founding Impact Negotiation Group in 2022. 

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨 𝐰𝐞 𝐝𝐨:
We support organisations with their critical negotiations through thorough preparation, planning, and execution. Our approach empowers you to proactively take control and achieve the best possible results.
We radically challenge what our clients think negotiation is all about. 97% of negotiation work does not take place at the table, in front of the other party. It’s all in the preparation and strategy. 

Having trained more than 5.500 people, after 40h of your time over a 12 month period, we will give you a competitive advantage in your negotiations.

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬:

Our consulting business generates 65% of our revenue, with every partner actively engaged in negotiations daily. We work across various industries, including FMCG, pharmaceuticals, oil and gas, private equity, professional services, IT services, labor relations, and retail. This broad exposure has equipped us with the insight to distinguish between theoretical concepts and practical applications.

𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲: 
✅Annually, we support over $1 billion in negotiation value. Since our start, we have worked with 50 clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to scale-ups, providing advice on every imaginable negotiation scenario. The results - A staggering 17.3x return on investment. 🚀

✅We train commercial professionals at Fortune 500 companies to scale-ups and our intensive training program have resulted in a recorded 14.9X return on investment within the first 12months!🚀

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐒𝐚𝐲:

"Enriching, instructive, and immediately applicable insights." - Lily Libeert, Commercial Director

"An excellent program that perfectly balances theory and practice, infused with humor." - Mike Franke, Sales Manager, VodafoneZiggo

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐓𝐨 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐱𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐍𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬? 
Send me a LinkedIn DM and let’s explore if we’re a fit on a 15min call.📲

Marc Saris

The Biggest Threat to IT Service Companies In 2026

Hourly billing.

We see that many of our clients active in the IT service still heavily rely on hourly billing. Why? Because that’s what they have been doing since the 90s. 
However: Hourly-based models are biggest commercial risk for IT service providers going into 2026. 

Why?

❌ AI is compressing delivery times: the same work is delivered in a fraction of the time. If you get paid by the hour you will see your revenue evaporate. 
❌ Procurement is more price focused then ever: AI is helping them benchmark quicker pushing downward on rates.
❌ Hourly fees commoditize your expertise: it is difficult to argue why your senior developer should be 30% more expensive than the competitors.
❌ Competitors are already shifting to value-based or outcome-based models: don’t be left behind.

The companies that don’t evolve their pricing strategy will see revenue evaporate cost rise and margins erode. Those that do will separate themselves from the pack.

At Impact, the past two years we’ve engaged in a number of projects working with IT service and software development companies to help them:
✔ Transition away from hourly-based pricing to value based pricing
 ✔ Adapt their negotiation approach to focus on value based deals 
 ✔ Strengthen their negotiation capability with clients and procurement
 ✔ Confidently price based on value, outcomes, and strategic impact,  not time

The key isn’t “just changing pricing.”

The real unlock is understanding the full commercial process and the negotiations that support it.

Pricing is only as strong as your ability to defend it, position it, and get buy-in from stakeholders.

If you’re an IT service leader still wrestling with how to make this shift, or you know your team is too dependent on hourly billing, 2025 is the last safe window to fix it.

If you want to explore what this transition could look like for your company, send me a message.

The companies preparing now will dominate in 2026. The ones sticking to old models… won’t.

Negotiation Strategy Consultant │ Co‑Founder @ Impact Negotiation Group │ €1.77B+ in Deals Advised │ Sales & Procurement Negotiator │ Trained over 1,200+ Commercial Professionals

Negotiations in 2026: The Shift No One’s Talking About ⚠️ 

I’ll never forget my first big negotiation at Shell.
Excited. Nervous. A little terrified.
Sitting across from a seasoned account manager, I felt every emotion at once.

Then came the training that changed everything.
It showed me the behaviours behind great deals: what to say, when to act, when to stay silent.
That was the start for a decade-long career in negotiation.

For years, those skills were enough.
But in 2026? They’re not anymore.

Negotiations Have Changed ⚠️ 

That old picture of two people in a room, trading proposals until they shake hands…
 🕰️  It’s quickly fading from reality.

Now:
✅ Deals unfold across email threads, Teams chats, shared docs, WhatsApps
✅ A new generation of leaders is more comfortable typing than talking.
✅ Negotiation isn’t a snap shot moment, it has become a process across channels, people, and time.

And that changes everything. ➡️ The Skill Shift

Reading the room still matters.

But it’s not enough. ⚠️ 

The leaders who win in 2026 know how to:
 ✅ Manage stakeholders across multiple touchpoints
 ✅ Design the deal before the first proposal lands
 ✅ Sequence interactions according to a plan
 ✅ Steer the process, not just the conversation
 ✅ Align internally and externally long before proposals hit the table

This isn’t optional.
It’s the new reality!

Why It Matters
If your organization still treats negotiation as something that happens in the meeting… you’re leaving money on the table.

What you need:
👉 Clear negotiation processes
👉 A deal architecture framework
👉 Teams trained in end-to-end negotiation management

That’s what we’ve been building at Impact Negotiation Group since day one  helping commercial teams capture more value by mastering what happens before, during, and after the conversation.

2026 will reward those who adapt.
And penalize those who don’t.

💡 Curious how your team stacks up?
 Let’s talk, I’d love to hear how you’re approaching negotiations in 2026.

What to do when clients demand hourly billing ⏱️ 

My last post, several people reached out stating:  “Marc, fully agree… but our clients demand hourly billing.”

What to do? 

Lets first understand why clients ask for hourly billing as it’s almost never because hourly billing creates better outcomes. 

❌ It’s because hourly billing gives them the illusion of control:

❌ They can compare vendors more easily. Hourly rates make it simple for procurement to benchmark and negotiate down

❌ They haven’t done the work. They don’t know what they want/need. 

❌ They believe hours = effort = value. We all know this is untrue

❌ They want predictability. Hours feel measurable, even if they aren’t tied to results.

❌ They lack confidence in the provider. When trust is low, clients try to control scope and effort.

The reality is: Clients don’t actually want hours. They want outcomes, speed, and a problem solved. Tracking hours is a burden.

How to shift clients away from hourly billing:
✅  Focus the conversation on the impact of the solution: “What’s the business impact if we get this right?”

✅   Focus on nailing down the scope: The problem, The desired outcomes, The value of achieving them

✅   Price the result, not the labor. Your expertise isn’t less valuable because you're faster with AI, it’s more valuable. Speed is an advantage, not a discount.

✅   Stop justifying hours. Start demonstrating impact. The more you talk about hours, the more clients focus on cost. The more you talk about value, the more they focus on ROI.

The biggest mindset shift?

Hourly billing is a supplier mindset.  Value-based pricing is a strategic partner mindset.

And clients want strategic partners,  especially going into 2026.

If your clients are still “demanding” hourly billing, it’s not a dead end.
It’s a signal that the value conversation hasn’t been had yet.

Final thought
The transition isn’t about convincing clients overnight. It’s about strengthening your commercial process, and professionals to be able to have the right conversations. 

If you're struggeling with that transition, or want your team to learn how shift shift their conversation then reach out.

#negotiation #valuebased

Going into the weekend with gratitude!
Wisdom from Jimmy Carr. 
Happy weekend when you get to it. 

https://lnkd.in/euQm63VY

Open video: We Are Living Like A King... on youtube.com

SimplyGlin Pty Ltd

SimplyGlin is the home of my evolving body of work, blending negotiation strategy, inner transformation, and creative expression.

It brings together everything I’ve created to date:
– The Value Negotiator
– Heart of Human
– Self-paced programs
– Speaking, writing, and consulting

At the heart of it all is one truth:
Who you become is the most powerful thing you’ll ever create.

Whether it’s strategy or self-leadership, deal-making or identity work, my focus is on alignment, contribution, and transformation from the inside out.

This is alchemy in action - a continuous process of becoming, integrating, remembering… and creating from that place.

🔄 Currently transitioning The Value Negotiator and Heart of Human into SimplyGlin as a unified identity.

Writer | Negotiation Strategist | Inner Transformation

Through tailored negotiation training and strategic consulting, I’ve partnered with sales, commercial, and procurement teams across industries to shift how they approach value, influence, and long-term agreements.

Focus areas:
– Value-based negotiation
– Emotional intelligence in commercial environments
– Executive influence and strategic pricing
– Supplier negotiation

The work is practical, human, and designed to create outcomes that last.
Clients include ASX-listed organisations and global teams seeking real-world impact, not just theory.

Commercial Negotiation Strategist & Trainer (The Value Negotiator)

This work is rooted in the belief that transformation starts within.

I support change-makers, executives, founders, and creatives, as they navigate the space between who they’ve been and who they’re becoming.

Focus areas:
– Self-alignment
– Courageous decision-making
– Expanding capacity and contribution
– Leading with integrity and inner authority

Philosophy:
Be brave. Be all of you.
Because inner work is your greatest contribution.

Executive Coach & Personal Transformation Strategist (Heart of Human)

The Value Exchange

Selected as a licensed partner by The Value Exchange for my expertise in commercial negotiation and emotional intelligence.

This role complements my broader work by creating space to deliver negotiation training within aligned frameworks - while still bringing my own strategic approach, insight, and facilitation style.

I work with corporate teams, founders, sales and procurement leaders to shift how they approach value, decision-making, and commercial influence - always grounded in the belief that the way we negotiate reflects who we are.

Clients engage me for:
– Commercial negotiation training
– Executive and deal strategy
– Human-first negotiation facilitation

Licensed Partner - Negotiation Training & Consulting

Bendigo Bank

I served as a Non-Executive Board Member and Treasurer for Caloundra Community Bank, part of the Bendigo Bank network.

In this role, I:
– Contribute to board-level decisions that support growth, governance, and community impact
– Oversee financial controls and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements
– Analyse financial data to inform strategy and improve operational performance
– Help steward the bank’s purpose-driven model of locally owned, community-focused banking

Non Executive Board Member

Food Agribusiness Network (FAN)

Guiding strategic direction for FAN, a pioneering not-for-profit food industry cluster committed to fostering collaboration and innovation across the food value chain. Leveraging my expertise to ensure governance and compliance, while championing initiatives that drive member value, international exposure, and industry sustainability. Proud to be part of a dynamic ecosystem that empowers its members and amplifies industry growth both locally and globally.

Deputy Chair

I first trained with The Gap Partnership in 2008 while working in finance in the UK - an experience that expanded how I approached value, influence, and strategic communication.

I later returned as a consultant, working with executive teams across FTSE 50 and ASX 50 brands to build negotiation capability in complex commercial environments.

My work focused on:
– Joint business planning and annual trading terms
– Executive influence and negotiation strategy
– Commercial transformation and relationship-based negotiation

This chapter sharpened my commercial lens and deepened my strategic instincts — skills that now underpin my broader body of work in negotiation, leadership, and transformation.

Senior Negotiation Consultant

The Outperformer

Working with The Outperformer, to develop next generation finance teams, coaching executives and their teams to reach their full potential and create genuine value in their business. 

This involved:

1. Deliberate Culture Design - exploring the relationship between strategy, performance and the cultural elements that increase the likelihood of success, however they were defined. Projects were highly tailored to the organisation's vision and designed by examining the relationship between where they were and where they wanted to be and the emergent nature of change. 

2. High-Performance Teams - the solutions built involved collaborative work with leaders and their teams to migrate from good to great by examining the strategy, priorities, and systems that uphold the performance sought over time. Collegially created a culture of high performance by deliberately focusing on and prioritising activities and behaviours that drive performance. With the ultimate objective of establishing finance as a business partner to get the best outcomes for everyone involved.

www.theoutperformer.co

Executive Coach & Program Facilitator

George Weston Foods

- Development of communication and stakeholder engagement strategy for IS & Business Services Finance Transformation Programme - building alignment across the business divisions and group shared services to facilitate effective change leadership.
 - Development of project business case for financial investment on critical business process and systems, leveraging technology and freeing up resource to focus on value creation whilst reducing business risk.

Head of Business Strategy Development (Business Services)

AB World Foods Ltd

- Transferred internationally with Associated British Foods PLC into an all-round 2IC finance executive leadership role reporting into the APAC General Manager; providing commercial excellence across the business, driving decision making, change and performance, in a turnaround environment.
- Full financial management for Australia & NZ (representing c.20% of group profit) and influence in shaping the strategic direction of the business.
- Project lead, initiated a new revenue stream, including development of business case, planning, development of product prototype, customer liaison and launch of a new product strategy.
- Leading and developing a high-performance culture in the finance team.

Head of Finance - ANZ; Associated British Foods PLC

Twinings; Associated British Foods Plc

- Profiled role directly for Group CFO & CEO on a variety of strategic and operational projects, including preparation of presentations to the ABF Board. 
- Business performance manager for several international business units, playing an advisory role by leveraging a deep understanding of business drivers, people and financial performance. 
- Playing a key leadership role in the group’s planning, budgeting & forecasting processes, and delivering key insight to, and analysis of, business unit strategies. 
- Coordination of financial control management across the group, including liaison with business units and internal/external audit, ensuring common understanding and determining critical business controls.

Group Business Performance Manager

The Silver Spoon Company; Associated British Foods Plc

- Reporting into the Finance Director, a pivotal role responsible for the leadership of the Commercial Finance function to drive both governance and delivery of commercial performance
- Active member of the senior leadership team guiding, influencing and challenging at both strategic and operational levels within the business
- Primarily partnered with Sales & Marketing generating robust financial forecasts through involvement in product management and demand aspects of the Sales and Operations Planning process 
 - Leading and developing a team of finance professionals

Head of Commercial Finance

The hardest negotiation we’ll ever face is the one within, the tug-of-war between who we think we should be and who we are meant to become. My work is about helping mission-led changemakers close that gap, step into their fullest potential, and elevate their impact through inner transformation.

As the author of three books, The Negotiation Playbook, Unstoppable Woman, and Healing After Heartbreak, I’ve spent my career guiding individuals through both external challenges and deep personal transformation.

I see negotiation as more than just a skill, it’s a mirror of who we are becoming. Whether you’re leading high-stakes business conversations or navigating the personal crossroads of growth, how you show up in negotiation reflects how you show up in life.

🔹 For leaders, entrepreneurs, and changemakers → Through The Value Negotiator, I train and coach individuals and teams to master negotiation with confidence, integrity, and impact - because negotiation isn’t just something you do, it’s who you become in the process.

🔹 For mission-led changemakers seeking transformation → Through Heart of Human, I guide changemakers to step into alignment, overcome internal barriers, and unlock the confidence to achieve their biggest missions.

At the core of everything I do is the belief that who you become in the process matters just as much as the outcomes you create.

If you're ready to master the bravest negotiation of all - the one with yourself - let’s connect.

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Marc Saris

Glin Bayley GAICD

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