Our goal is to contribute to the fostering of a community of experienced practitioners engaged in a process of collective learning on frontline negotiation through the sharing of insights and best practices.
Established in early 2023 for the purpose of enhancing interactions between academic research and seasoned negotiation practitioners, Frontline Associates is a community platform that aims to become a primary resource for frontline negotiators, mediators, and facilitators operating in adversarial environments. It gathers and shares practical tools and methods for conducting negotiation in complex environments as well as build trust with difficult or intimidating counterparts.
Supporting Professionals on the Frontlines of Social Divides
Frontline Associates plans to excel in using digital technologies to connect people, facilitate exchanges and share knowledge on negotiation practices, while meeting the increasing demand for effective AI-assisted planning tools and simulation platforms. It maintains a flexible and efficient structure, with dedicated associate partners, managers, and fellow practitioners. Several advanced courses have already been developed for academic institutions recognizing the role of the platform and its members as a valuable source of knowledge on complex negotiation.
Our Team
Claude Bruderlein
Claude Bruderlein has been teaching frontline humanitarian negotiation and crisis management for over 20 years at the Harvard School of Public Health and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. Lately, he advised the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and led extended field research on ICRC negotiation practices. In October 2016, he founded the Centre of Competence on Humanitarian Negotiation (CCHN) with the support of the United Nations, MSF and the ICRC which fostered the creation of the first community of practice of frontline humanitarian negotiators. Over the last three decades, he conducted and contributed to frontline negotiations in over 15 countries, including North Korea, Afghanistan, Israel and Occupied Territories, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, South Sudan and Niger.
Founder & Lead Instructor
Linn Bieske is an interdisciplinary expert in machine learning, cybersecurity, and public policy. She has multiple years of professional experience working for McKinsey Digital & Analytics, for Google X, and in the Executive Office of the Secretary General of the United Nations. In these roles, she used machine learning to tackle pressing global challenges and solve tough business problems across industries. Linn is aspiring to be a truly interdisciplinary, cross-sector leader in cybersecurity and machine learning, which is why she pursued a Masters in Public Administration at Harvard, and is a Leaders for Global Operations Fellow at MIT. At MIT, Linn pursues an MS in Computer Science concurrently with an MBA.
Senior Researcher
Linn Bieske
Dariha Erketaeva is a humanitarian professional and a negotiation specialist. At present, she serves as the external relations lead at Amazi Water in Bujumbura, Burundi. Her previous work at the Centre of Competence on Humanitarian Negotiation (CCHN) in Geneva saw her innovating in the domain of negotiations, where she engaged humanitarian practitioners working in crisis contexts in peer workshops and labs, fostering the development of a community of practice. Prior to CCHN, Dariha led humanitarian operations of MSF and DanChurchAid in conflict and fragile contexts in Middle East, Africa, and Central Asia. Her negotiation role was pivotal in securing access, delivery of aid and safety of teams and patients in conflict-affected settings. Dariha holds a master’s degree in international relations from the University of Bremen, Germany. Her multilingual capabilities spanning English, French, Russian, and Kyrgyz enable her to bridge divides and build consensus across a myriad of cultural contexts.
Negotiation Specialist
Dariha Erketaeva
Negotiation Specialist
Mustafa Hatam
Mohammad Mustafa Hatam is a risk management, cyber politics, and negotiations specialist. He has more than a decade of experience in negotiation with various actors. He has worked with several national, international NGOs, and higher education institutions. He has an undergraduate degree in computer science, a diploma in risk management and fellowship in conflict resolution. Mustafa has developed risk management and access strategies for several organizations and has trained a significant number of professionals and practitioners on implementation of those strategies. Moreover, Mustafa has facilitated numerous negotiation workshops and trainings. He has experience of working in south Asia, middle east, and Africa. He is multilingual and can fluently speak English, Farsi, Pashto, and Urdu languages.
Negotiation Specialist
Mohammad Mustafa Hatam is a risk management, cyber politics, and negotiations specialist. He has more than a decade of experience in negotiation with various actors. He has worked with several national, international NGOs, and higher education institutions. He has an undergraduate degree in computer science, a diploma in risk management and fellowship in conflict resolution. Mustafa has developed risk management and access strategies for several organizations and has trained a significant number of professionals and practitioners on implementation of those strategies. Moreover, Mustafa has facilitated numerous negotiation workshops and trainings. He has experience of working in south Asia, middle east, and Africa. He is multilingual and can fluently speak English, Farsi, Pashto, and Urdu languages.
Mustafa Hatam
Oscar Sánchez Piñeiro
Oscar Sánchez Piñeiro is a seasoned humanitarian professional with over 20 years of experience, including a significant 17-year career with the UNHCR, where he has held various leadership roles in Latin America, MENA, and Asia. Skilled in managing operations in diverse settings - urban, camp, headquarters, and emergency situations - he worked on the development of strategies for the benefit of vulnerable populations. Oscar holds a Master’s in International Human Rights Law from Oxford and a Master’s in Public Policy from NYU, and is fluent in English and Spanish with proficiency in Portuguese.