Ahmed Irfan Khan

We spoke with Ahmed after he took Real Estate Negotiation Essentials: Dealmaking Techniques & Simulation with us in April 2025.

Why did you choose to sign up for this program, and how was your experience?

In life and real estate, every milestone — whether it’s a zoning approval, land acquisition, or capital raise — begins and ends with negotiation. After years of navigating tough entitlement processes, assembling land from multiple sellers, and aligning diverse stakeholder interests, I recognized the need to refine my negotiation strategy even further.

The Real Estate Negotiation Essentials program was the perfect fit. It promised not just theory, but actionable frameworks tailored specifically to the nuances of real estate deals — from interest-based bargaining to handling high-stakes conflict and closing multi-party transactions.

I enrolled to sharpen my edge, learn from top-tier faculty and peers, and walk away with tools I could immediately apply in the field.

The experience exceeded expectations. It reinforced that great negotiation isn’t about “winning” — it’s about creating durable value and lasting relationships, even in the most complex deals.

We designed the program to be highly interactive, with each negotiation taking place in a 2–3-person group. What was the group work like?

The group work was the heart of the learning experience. Each negotiation played out in small groups of two, which created a dynamic, high-engagement environment that pushed you to think on your feet, read people quickly, and adapt your strategy in real time.

What stood out most was how diverse each partner’s background was — developers, brokers, financiers, and public sector professionals from around the world, all bringing their own lens to the table. That diversity made every negotiation more realistic and nuanced. You weren’t just role-playing — you were learning to navigate competing interests, cultural dynamics, and different communication styles.

These sessions weren’t about “winning” a negotiation. They were about building trust, uncovering interests, and crafting win-win outcomes under pressure. It mirrored the real-world complexity I deal with daily in zoning hearings, investor meetings, and land assemblies — but in a safe environment where you could take risks and refine your instincts.

It was intense, eye-opening, and incredibly rewarding.

Fernando Levy Hara is famous for having many memorable stories, some of which he shared with us in advance of the program. Do you have a memorable real estate negotiation story you can share publicly? 

One of the most memorable negotiations of my career was assembling the land for our Pinnacle at Meyers project in Lombard, Illinois. The site spanned four acres and required negotiating with multiple property owners — each with different motivations, price expectations, and emotional ties to their parcels.

It wasn’t just about money. Some sellers were skeptical of developers. Others had legacy concerns tied to their land. And while we were working with limited timeframes, the neighbors were working with unlimited concerns — over traffic, density, design, and more. One homeowner changed their mind three times. Another agreed in principle but kept stalling on paperwork. At one point, I had to rework the entire site plan to accommodate a neighbor’s request for more trees as a buffer.

What I learned through that process — and what the Real Estate Negotiation Essentials program reinforced — is that information is power, but empathy is leverage. The turning point came when I stopped “selling” and started actively listening. I asked better questions. I reframed proposals. And I brought in third-party voices the sellers trusted. It took 25 plan revisions and countless hours, but we ultimately earned unanimous approval from the Village Board.

Knowing what you now know, would you now have done anything differently?

If I were to do it again, I’d start with the same mindset I left the Harvard program with: Seek alignment, not agreement. And never negotiate too early — not until you fully understand what matters most to the other side.
That deal tested everything I had — and it made me a better negotiator, leader, and developer. 

You were admitted to the Advanced Management Development Program in Real Estate (AMDP) Class 26, with your first term in July 2025. Why did you apply to the AMDP, and what are you hoping to get out of the experience?

After decades in both corporate leadership and real estate development, I wanted to challenge myself — not just to sharpen technical skills, but to grow as a leader, collaborator, and visionary. The Advanced Management Development Program (AMDP) at Harvard Graduate School of Design stood out as a unique platform where seasoned professionals from across the globe come together to exchange ideas, push boundaries, and elevate the built environment.

For me, the decision was driven by three things:

• Network – I was seeking meaningful peer connections with people who’ve built cities, portfolios, and ideas far beyond their zip codes.
• Perspective – I wanted to step outside of my day-to-day work and look at real estate through the lens of global innovation, sustainability, and community impact.
• Legacy – At this stage in my career, I’m not just building projects — I’m building platforms for others to thrive.