Quote of the Day by Lakshmi Mittal: ‘At the end of the day you have to keep emotions away’
Lakshmi Mittal is an Indian billionaire industrialist widely known as the "King of Steel." He is the executive chairman of ArcelorMittal, the world's largest steel and mining company by output.
- Sep 1, 2026,
- Updated Sep 1, 2026 7:30 AM IST
“At the end of the day you have to keep emotions away,” a quote by Lakshmi Mittal, Executive Chairman of ArcelorMittal.
Lakshmi Mittal means that business decisions require pure logic and facts instead of personal feelings.
Who is Lakshmi Mittal
Born on June 15, 1950, in Rajasthan, to a modest Marwari family, Lakshmi Mittal is an Indian billionaire industrialist widely known as the "King of Steel." He is the executive chairman of ArcelorMittal, the world's largest steel and mining company by output. As of May 2026, he has made headlines for acquiring a majority stake in the IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals.
His wealth is estimated at approximately $28.4 billion according to Forbes. Other sources, like the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, estimate his fortune closer to $31 billion following significant gains in 2025.
He was the first Indian citizen to enter the top 10 of the Forbes global rich list, reaching as high as the third-richest person in the world in 2005.
He was awarded India's second-highest civilian honour, Padma Vibhushan, in 2008.
When did Lakshmi Mittal say this quote?
Lakshmi Mittal stated this during his high-stakes 2006 hostile takeover of Arcelor.
When Mittal proposed a merger to combine his company (Mittal Steel) with Europe's Arcelor, he faced massive, emotionally charged backlash.
What does this quote mean?
This quote underscores the philosophy that high-stakes business and leadership demand absolute objectivity, requiring decision-makers to completely separate personal feelings from strategic choices. In the corporate world, letting emotions like anger, fear, pride, or personal attachments dictate actions can cloud judgment, lead to defensive choices, and obscure the cold data needed to solve a problem.
Lakshmi Mittal highlights that long-term success relies on evaluating risks, financial realities, and market logic purely on their merits. Ultimately, the quote serves as a reminder that while passion can drive vision, it is disciplined, rational execution.
“At the end of the day you have to keep emotions away,” a quote by Lakshmi Mittal, Executive Chairman of ArcelorMittal.
Lakshmi Mittal means that business decisions require pure logic and facts instead of personal feelings.
Who is Lakshmi Mittal
Born on June 15, 1950, in Rajasthan, to a modest Marwari family, Lakshmi Mittal is an Indian billionaire industrialist widely known as the "King of Steel." He is the executive chairman of ArcelorMittal, the world's largest steel and mining company by output. As of May 2026, he has made headlines for acquiring a majority stake in the IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals.
His wealth is estimated at approximately $28.4 billion according to Forbes. Other sources, like the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, estimate his fortune closer to $31 billion following significant gains in 2025.
He was the first Indian citizen to enter the top 10 of the Forbes global rich list, reaching as high as the third-richest person in the world in 2005.
He was awarded India's second-highest civilian honour, Padma Vibhushan, in 2008.
When did Lakshmi Mittal say this quote?
Lakshmi Mittal stated this during his high-stakes 2006 hostile takeover of Arcelor.
When Mittal proposed a merger to combine his company (Mittal Steel) with Europe's Arcelor, he faced massive, emotionally charged backlash.
What does this quote mean?
This quote underscores the philosophy that high-stakes business and leadership demand absolute objectivity, requiring decision-makers to completely separate personal feelings from strategic choices. In the corporate world, letting emotions like anger, fear, pride, or personal attachments dictate actions can cloud judgment, lead to defensive choices, and obscure the cold data needed to solve a problem.
Lakshmi Mittal highlights that long-term success relies on evaluating risks, financial realities, and market logic purely on their merits. Ultimately, the quote serves as a reminder that while passion can drive vision, it is disciplined, rational execution.