Duane Kennedy is CEO of Kennedy Capital LLC, an AI consultancy that helps companies drive revenue and cut costs by embedding AI into their operations — grounded in 30+ years of international, cross-border business across the U.S., China, and emerging markets in Africa and Central Asia.
"You don't learn a market by studying it from the outside — you learn it by living inside it, in mainland China, for twenty years."
An AI-orchestrated advisory backbone — six specialized councils — running underneath all three tracks.
Lead-generation automation built on AI workflow tools, with deal-facilitation workflows powered by the Claude API — productizing the operating model beyond personal relationships.
Export promotion strategy for U.S. manufacturers across Tanzania, Mozambique, Kazakhstan, Uganda, the DRC, and China, developed directly with the U.S. Department of Commerce Commercial Services Division.
Co-founding a predictive assessment platform for North Carolina life sciences and biopharma companies entering China, built on 20 years of Shanghai-based operating experience.
What's actually running underneath the relationships — built, not bought off the shelf.
An internal AI advisory system built on Claude Projects, organized into six specialized AI advisory councils that stress-test every deal from a different angle before it moves forward.
Deal-facilitation workflows powered directly by the Claude API and Model Context Protocol servers, connecting research, outreach, and negotiation prep into a single operating pipeline rather than scattered manual steps.
Lead-generation and outreach automation built on AI workflow tools, productizing the agency model so growth doesn't depend solely on personal relationships and manual follow-up.
Co-founder of an AI-powered predictive assessment platform for North Carolina life sciences and biopharma companies evaluating China market entry, grounded in 20 years of Shanghai-based operating experience.
Operating depth built where it's hardest to build it — paired with the government and private-sector channels that turn access into outcomes.
Founded and leads the firm's AI-orchestration workflows and agentic systems for cross-border deal facilitation. Designed the internal AI advisory infrastructure — six specialized councils operating as the backbone for three compounding growth tracks spanning AI agency work, cross-border trade facilitation, and market-entry intelligence.
Chief Trade Advisor for a U.S. severe-service valve manufacturer (API 6A/6D/6D-SS, ISO 9001, API Q1 certified), developing entry strategies across oil & gas, LNG, mining, and petrochemical markets on three continents. Delivered a six-market trade development package to the U.S. Department of Commerce, identifying Mozambique as the top-priority market on the strength of three simultaneously advancing LNG projects (TotalEnergies, ExxonMobil, Eni) — $55B+ in combined capital backed by $4.7B in U.S. ExIm Bank financing, the largest U.S. government investment commitment in Africa. Built the Kazakhstan strategy around the $45B Tengizchevroil Future Growth Project and existing procurement relationships with Chevron, ExxonMobil, Shell, TotalEnergies, and CNPC.
Established a commodities sourcing agency across Asia, driving $80K+ in monthly revenue and a 25% annual revenue growth rate. Led negotiations for 100,000+ barrels per month of petroleum products and expanded the portfolio into iron ore, coal, Brazilian sugar, and HMS rail — growing market share by 15% within the first three years of operation.
Duane Kennedy is the CEO and founder of Kennedy Capital LLC, where he builds AI operational intelligence that helps companies drive more revenue and cut costs. That expertise also anchors his cross-border deal facilitation work: an advisory infrastructure built on Claude Projects and organized around six specialized councils, spanning three parallel growth tracks.
He brings more than 30 years of international business experience, including two decades based in Shanghai, where he founded three companies and negotiated an aggregate contract value exceeding $3 billion with Chinese state-owned enterprises and private firms. That operating history now underpins his work helping U.S. manufacturers and life sciences companies enter complex international markets — bringing bilingual, on-the-ground intelligence that third-party research cannot substitute.
AI-orchestrated workflows that turn deal facilitation into a repeatable, scalable system rather than one-off relationship work.
Bilingual, on-the-ground intelligence from 20 years of Shanghai-based operating experience — insight third-party research can't substitute.
Government and institutional access — active relationships spanning ambassadors, ministries, and trade authorities across six countries.
Principal-led engagement — senior, accountable, and embedded, not delegated to junior staff.
Duane operates as a principal, not an intermediary — pairing deep operating history in China with an active cross-border network across Africa and Central Asia. Engagements combine hands-on relationship development with the AI-orchestration systems he has built to make that work compound rather than reset with every new market.
Working across the U.S., China, and emerging markets in Africa and Central Asia.