Inside Forbes India Anish Shah: Taskmaster delivering for Mahindra Group
Apr 1, 2025
Samar Srivastav, a journalist at Forbes India, analyzes Anish Shah, the first non-family CEO of the Mahindra Group. They discuss Shah's bold leadership style, focusing on efficiency and results. Shah is turning the company around by exiting non-core businesses, which have cut significant losses. The podcast highlights Mahindra's success in the SUV market, thanks to strategic positioning and a post-pandemic boom. Srivastav also examines Shah's philosophy of prioritizing fewer projects for better execution, showcasing his taskmaster approach to leadership.
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Full Autonomy From Anand Mahindra
- Anand Mahindra told Anish Shah he gave him the keys to the kingdom and freedom to act with no holy cows.
- Shah received a clear mandate to change or shut down businesses as he saw fit.
Cut Losses By Exiting Nonperformers
- Exiting loss-making businesses can immediately improve group profitability by removing recurring drains.
- Shutting Sangyong saved roughly ₹500 crore a year and removed over ₹3,000 crore of cumulative losses.
Specialization Met Market Tailwinds
- Mahindra's SUV focus aligned with a global post-pandemic SUV boom, fueling outsized growth.
- The company compounded top-line growth by ~30% yearly as SUV sales surged ~21–22% annually.