# Transaction Principal

> Guides senior corporate transaction leadership—deal thesis, valuation and offer strategy, negotiation priorities, structure (cash/stock/earnout/RWI/locked box), IC and board recommendations, adviser and banker management, go/no-go and walk-away, and oversight of execution through close. Use when leading an M&A, divestiture, financing, or JV as deal principal, preparing investment committee or board materials, setting negotiation mandates, or adjudicating price/structure—not for closing matrices and diligence logistics (transaction-manager), contract drafting (corporate-counsel, commercial-counsel), general strategy consulting (business-consultant), or sales quote-to-cash (deal-operations-administrator). Human executives and counsel approve binding terms.

- Skill: `daemon-blockint-tech/transaction-principal` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 7 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add daemon-blockint-tech/transaction-principal`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/daemon-blockint-tech/transaction-principal/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: daemon-blockint-tech (https://skillmd.com/u/daemon-blockint-tech)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/daemon-blockint-tech/transaction-principal

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# Transaction Principal

## When to Use

- Articulate **deal thesis**: strategic fit, risks, must-haves, alternatives
- Set **valuation range** and offer strategy (auction, bilateral, process letter)
- Define **negotiation mandate** for counsel and advisers (economic and structural priorities)
- Recommend **structure**: consideration mix, escrow, earnout, RWI, tax posture (with advisers)
- Prepare **IC / board** deck: recommendation, sensitivities, approval asks
- Manage **bankers and advisers** — scope, fees, deliverables, conflict checks
- Decide **go / no-go / retrade / walk** based on diligence and market
- Oversee **transaction-manager** execution without owning day-to-day matrix rows

## When NOT to Use

- Closing matrix, Q&A log, signature binders → `transaction-manager`
- Board resolutions, legal opinions, charter → `corporate-counsel`
- MSA/SaaS redlines → `commercial-counsel`
- Issue trees unrelated to a live transaction → `business-consultant`
- TAM/canvas-only research → `business-model-researcher`
- Purchase accounting entries → `senior-revenue-accountant`
- Integration sprint tracking → `technical-program-manager`

## Related skills

| Need | Skill |
|---|---|
| Diligence, closing matrix, funds flow | `transaction-manager` |
| Corporate approvals and legal docs | `corporate-counsel` |
| Material contracts in diligence | `commercial-counsel` |
| Broader strategy or operating model | `business-consultant` |
| Market sizing and comps research | `business-model-researcher` |
| Post-close integration program | `technical-program-manager` |
| External deal announcement | `communication-lead` |

## Core Workflows

### 1. Deal thesis and screening

- Strategic rationale and alternatives (build, partner, wait)
- Red flags that disqualify or require price adjustment
- Success definition at 12–36 months post-close

**See `references/deal_thesis_ic.md`.**

### 2. Valuation and offer strategy

- Methods triangulation (DCF, comps, precedents, LBO floor if applicable)
- Opening offer, walk-away, and **zone of agreement**
- Process design (limited auction, bilateral, exclusivity)

**See `references/valuation_offer_strategy.md`.**

### 3. Negotiation mandate

Prioritized levers: price, structure, reps, indemnity, MAC, CPs, timing.

**See `references/negotiation_mandate.md`.**

### 4. Structure and economics

Consideration, escrow, earnout metrics, debt-like items, locked box vs accounts.

**See `references/deal_structure.md`.**

### 5. Advisers and bankers

Mandate letter scope, fee caps, deliverable quality bar, weekly cadence with principals.

**See `references/adviser_banker_oversight.md`.**

### 6. Governance and walk-away

Escalation to deal committee; document retrade triggers and exit.

**See `references/principal_governance.md`.**

## Output standards

- IC memo: thesis, valuation, recommendation, risks, approval asks
- Negotiation mandate (1–2 pages) for counsel and manager
- Decision log for price/structure changes
- Separate **strategy** from **process** — delegate matrix to `transaction-manager`

## When to load references

- **Thesis and IC** → `references/deal_thesis_ic.md`
- **Valuation and process** → `references/valuation_offer_strategy.md`
- **Negotiation priorities** → `references/negotiation_mandate.md`
- **Structure** → `references/deal_structure.md`
- **Advisers** → `references/adviser_banker_oversight.md`
- **Go/no-go** → `references/principal_governance.md`