The Face of New-Age Leadership

Mahesh Patil, transforming a single entity into a diversified, resilient, and internationally minded conglomerate, shares his vision on career-making in today's global and interconnected workspace in conversation with Aditi Chakraborty

- By Aditi Chakraborty

What inspired you to enter an international workplace, and how did you navigate the early challenges?

My inspiration was twofold: opportunity and obligation. The opportunity lay in accessing larger markets and global talent and reducing reliance on domestic cycles. The obligation was to benchmark against international standards and contribute meaningfully to the global economic dialogue. Over the past decade, leading in a Middle Eastern market, I have been an integral part of expansion into sectors like oil & gas, real estate, recruitment, technology, trading, and sustainable manufacturing. It also shaped my belief in the country's potential and a clear, values-driven philosophy.

The initial challenges were rooted in shifting mindsets and adapting to local contexts. To navigate this, I focused on three pillars: building strong local partnerships to gain on-the-ground insights; creating a culturally diverse leadership team at Horizon International Group to bring global perspectives; and maintaining agility—testing ideas on a small scale before wider rollout. This approach helped us turn challenges into learning opportunities and build a resilient, forward-looking enterprise.

Can you share your core leadership mantra that drives Horizon International Group forward?