Major multinational corporations operating across Latin America are investing heavily in advanced negotiation capabilities as they face increasingly complex commercial relationships spanning multiple markets and currencies. Companies including Nestlé, Coca-Cola, Nike, Mars, ADM, Purina, Clorox, and more have partnered with The Maker Group, a commercial capability-building firm, to transform how their teams approach high-stakes negotiations.
The shift comes as businesses navigate a challenging landscape of cross-border procurement, varying regulatory environments, and the need to move beyond traditional price-focused discussions to value-creation partnerships. With operations spanning Mexico City to São Paulo, companies are seeking structured approaches to deal-making that can be consistently applied across diverse markets while respecting local business customs.
The demand for sophisticated negotiation skills has surged particularly in the consumer goods and retail sectors, where companies must simultaneously manage relationships with global procurement teams and regional retailers. This complexity has driven organizations to seek external expertise in developing repeatable frameworks and playbooks that can be deployed across their Latin American operations.
At the center of this transformation is Luis Soto, Head of LATAM for The Maker Group. With over two decades of global sales leadership, including his tenure as Walmart’s Global Director of Negotiations, Soto has become one of the most recognized negotiation experts in the region. His mission: to equip organizations with the skills and discipline to move beyond price battles and into value-creation partnerships. Soto has overseen capability-building programs for multiple Fortune 500 companies across 15 countries.
“Negotiation is not about confrontation,” Soto explains. “It’s about asking better questions, uncovering hidden value, and creating outcomes where brand, customer, and shopper all win. That’s what we call the ‘Triple Win.’”
The impact of structured negotiation training appears significant. Companies implementing these programs report measurable improvements in deal cycle times, margin capture, and internal alignment. The approach typically involves pre-negotiation planning, role-specific playbooks, and live coaching on active deals, moving beyond traditional workshop formats to embed new behaviors in real business situations.
One distinctive aspect of the Latin American market is the need for truly localized approaches. While multinational corporations often have global procurement strategies, the execution requires deep understanding of regional dynamics, from specific retail channels to local trade terms and cultural nuances. Programs delivered in Spanish and Portuguese, with content adapted to market realities, have proven more effective than generic global templates.
The firm’s growth trajectory reflects broader market demand, with the commercial capability-building company appearing on the 2025 Inc. 5000 list after reporting 487% revenue growth between 2021 and 2024. This expansion has been driven largely by repeat business from existing clients and word-of-mouth referrals within the tight-knit community of commercial leaders across Latin America.
Beyond traditional negotiation skills, companies are increasingly seeking capabilities in areas like joint business planning, strategic sourcing transformation, and what the industry calls “StorySelling” – the ability to craft data-driven narratives that influence both external customers and internal stakeholders. These skills have become particularly crucial as businesses shift from transactional relationships to strategic partnerships focused on mutual growth.
The evolution reflects a broader professionalization of commercial capabilities across Latin America. As regional companies compete with global players and expand internationally themselves, the ability to negotiate effectively across borders, cultures, and currencies has become a critical competitive advantage. This has created a growing ecosystem of specialized training providers, peer learning communities, and executive education focused specifically on commercial excellence.
For multinational corporations, the investment in negotiation capabilities represents both a defensive and offensive strategy. On the defensive side, better-prepared teams can protect margins and avoid value-destroying concessions. Offensively, sophisticated negotiation approaches open doors to innovative deal structures, strategic partnerships, and collaborative growth initiatives that benefit all parties.
As Latin American companies compete globally, the ability to negotiate effectively across borders, cultures, and currencies has become a critical competitive advantage. Soto sees this evolution as more than a business trend—it’s a mindset shift.
“For me, negotiation is a discipline, almost like a sport,” he says. “You prepare, you practice, and then you perform at the highest level. The companies that build these skills systematically—not just relying on individual talent—will define the next decade of growth in the region and around the world.”
