Gen Re
Institutionalizing Core Negotiations Training Globally
The Situation
GenRe, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, Inc., is a holding company for global reinsurance and related risk assessment, risk transfer, and risk management operations. GenRe is one of the four largest reinsurers worldwide. In addition to being the market leader in the United States, GenRe is represented in all major reinsurance markets through a global network of 70 locations, supported by over 2,700 employees worldwide
GenRe came to SNI requesting a customized negotiations training program called “Negotiating in Our World” to help its Marketers and Underwriters to provide participants with a common negotiation language and systematic approach.
The SNI Solution
Over two years, SNI trained 500+ Marketers and Underwriters on five continents who negotiated five deals per day at an average size of $1,000 – $50,000 per deal. SNI met the challenge of presenting culturally relevant material to a geographically diverse audience, and designed a program that addressed specific negotiation challenges at GenRe.
The success of the initial negotiations training programs prompted GenRe to engage SNI to work with 50+ Senior Vice Presidents of Finance who worked on five deals per year with an average size of $2 million. SNI also created customized programming for both Marketing/Underwriting and Finance that included developing short-term and long-term deal preparation tools. Additionally, SNI went on to train multinational divisions of GenRe on influencing.
SNI was then asked to design a customized follow–up program that focused on probing techniques and methods to uncover the interests of the top decision makers.
The Impact
“After SNI conducted over 50 negotiations programs for GenRe, we asked them to assist us in developing a course focused on selling our ‘value proposition.’ SNI’s team of experienced facilitators, who have extensive real-life sales experience, helped them make this program one of the most impactful we have ever conducted. The SNI principles applied to our culture and we have made the systematic approach a part of how execute every day.”
–Senior Vice President, GenRe Australia
The Result
The GenRe team now utilizes a consistent process for negotiation across the world. Deal teams are able to collaborate effectively across continents and the negotiations training is now part of the core curriculum for all Marketers and Underwriters.
