As an energy analyst with years of experience under his belt in the volatile oil market, Kurush Mistry has conquered complex transitions, from the rise of renewable fuels to the challenges of remote work, building a career on the values of patience and adaptability. His ability to embrace change, make measured decisions, and lead the way through uncertainty has defined his professional success — while shaping his personal growth.
Mistry’s transition from traditional oil markets to renewable fuels is the perfect example of his adaptability. After more than a decade working in oil trading, he saw an opportunity to expand into the rapidly evolving renewable energy sector — a space that required not just technical skills but a fresh mindset.
“If you’re looking at the production of renewable fuels in the U.S., one of the major crops, or one of the major feedstocks it’s used for, is soybean oil to produce renewable diesel and biodiesel. Seeing how that interacts with the global soybean oil market, which has, obviously, a ton of food and other uses, that in itself is very interesting,” he says[1] . “So it opens up those sorts of connections between the specific thing that we’re looking at and markets that might not have looked at in the past, and it gives the avenues to explore the future.”
This shift required Mistry to rethink his analytical approach. In oil trading, historical patterns often provide reliable guidance, but renewable markets demand a more flexible and forward-looking perspective. “It’s a much more exploratory space,” Kurush Mistry notes[2] . “There’s so much primary research to be done, so many interconnections to uncover between these markets and others, like soybean oil. The analytical approach has to be more open-ended, more patient.”
Patience in High-Stakes Environments
Sure, patience is about waiting — but it’s also about resisting the urge to react impulsively in high-pressure situations. On trading floors, where decisions can be made on the turn of a dime, Kurush Mistry has learned the importance of taking a step back to evaluate all angles before acting.
“Traders, by the nature of their work, can often be blinded by their own positions and immediate profit motives,” he shares[3] . “As analysts, we have to be willing to constructively challenge those perspectives, to put the data and long-term trends first.”
This mindset has served him well in both oil and renewable energy markets, where sudden geopolitical events or shifts in consumer demand can create volatility. By staying calm and methodical, Mistry has been able to deal with these complexities and help his teams do the same.
Kurush Mistry on the Remote Work Shift
The COVID-19 pandemic brought a seismic shift in how teams collaborate, and for Mistry, this presented a new challenge: how to encourage trust and communication in a remote environment. While he acknowledges the benefits of hybrid work models, he found that building relationships virtually required a different kind of effort.
He says, “A creating environment is one of collaboration. It’s also one of osmosis.”
For Mistry, the change to remote and hybrid work highlighted the importance of adaptability — not just for himself but for the teams he mentors. By embracing new tools and finding creative ways to stay connected, he’s continued to build the strong, trust-based relationships that are central to his leadership style.
As a mentor, Kurush Mistry sees patience as an essential skill for guiding junior colleagues. In high-pressure industries like energy trading, it’s easy for newcomers to feel overwhelmed, and Mistry has made it a priority to help them find their footing.
He says, “People who are just entering the industry, very smart people, need to be guided and given access to the right information or certain ways of thinking about things, and that helps them grow to think on their own in the ways that are needed for the business. ”
This approach has paid off, with many of Mistry’s mentees going on to thrive in their careers. By encouraging them to take the lead on projects and make their own decisions, he helps them build confidence and develop the skills they need to succeed.
A Broader Perspective
While patience and adaptability are crucial in Mistry’s professional life, they also play a key role in his personal pursuits. Whether volunteering to teach digital skills to seniors or diving into the creative chaos of film production, he tackles each speed bump with the same measured mindset.
Volunteering, in particular, has reinforced the importance of empathy and connection. “As someone who likes to think of himself as being a helpful, generous person, I was a little bit ashamed that I hadn’t really done any proper regular volunteering,” he admits.
“And I started looking for opportunities and there were the usual ones, and I’ve done some of them as in the past sporadically, either as part of a company-sponsored thing or on my own, packing boxes or things like that. But this one really, the working with elders really stood out.” Teaching seniors how to use technology is about more than just solving problems — it’s about understanding their fears and frustrations and guiding them at a pace that works for them.
For Kurush Mistry, patience and adaptability are strategies for thriving in a fast-changing world. Whether he’s dealing with the complexities of energy markets, mentoring a colleague, or helping seniors, his approach is grounded in the belief that meaningful progress takes time.
