25/08/2026
Next in our series, Lakshmanan Chidambaram, MD & CEO, Bristlecone and member of the Group Executive Board, Mahindra Group, reflects on the choices, challenges and experiences that have shaped his leadership journey.
"The most important career decisions rarely come with certainty. They come with a choice: stay comfortable or take a chance on what could be possible. I faced that choice early in my career. Growing up in a business family, the expected path was simple: join the family business. But I wanted to build my own identity, so I joined HCL in sales in Ahmedabad.
Coming from Chennai, Ahmedabad was far outside my comfort zone. The message was blunt: crack sales or leave. Those four years became some of the most formative of my career. Sometimes, the experiences that push you furthest outside your comfort zone shape you the most. In 2010, I faced another such moment. Tech Mahindra was acquiring Satyam, and I was asked to take on the Americas business. Trust had to be rebuilt with employees, customers and the market. There were plenty of reasons to say no. But I said yes. That experience taught me that in difficult times, people do not need more management. They need more belief. We communicated, listened, reassured people and gave them reasons to believe in the future. Slowly, the organization began to believe again.
One moment stayed with me. We needed an introduction to a key customer with no clear access. I reached out to Mr. Anand Mahindra. He wrote an email, and that simple act opened a door. When I met them, they spoke not just about business, but about the values they associated with Mahindra. That stayed with me. Relationships built on values outlast circumstances. Competitors can copy products and processes, but not culture. Years later, when Dr. Anish Shah spoke to me about Bristlecone, his message was simple: take the company where it belongs. He also gave me the freedom to figure out how. I saw an opportunity to scale Bristlecone meaningfully. Supply chain disruption, tariffs, wars and geopolitical uncertainty were creating both challenges and opportunities. Bristlecone was right at the centre of it.
Within two months, we launched Project Unicorn, aiming to build a billion-dollar valuation company by FY31. We have since closed a year with 24% revenue growth and 41% profitability growth. But what I am most proud of is the shift in mindset. The team is reenergized. People are beginning to believe bigger is possible. That, to me, is leadership. Set a clear vision. Find the right people. Give them freedom. Then trust them. Businesses change. Markets change. Technology changes. People change. Culture is what endures. As I lead Bristlecone into its next chapter, my focus is to protect that culture while continuing to push for what is next."
