Harsh Girish Patel, Founder and CEO of Water & Shark, transformed a modest beginning in Mumbai into a global legal and consulting powerhouse based in Dubai, UAE. In this exclusive interview, he shares how his firm has advised family offices, celebrities, corporate clients, and royal families across 12 countries, delivering expertise in international law, tax structuring, and cross-border advisory.
Q1: Mumbai’s vibrancy is legendary. How did growing up there, with its challenges and energy, ignite your entrepreneurial spirit at such a young age?
Reply: Mumbai isn’t just a city—it’s a lesson in survival, grit, and possibility. I come from a very modest background, where every opportunity had to be earned, not inherited. We weren’t financially well-off, but what we lacked in resources, we made up for in values. My father showed me what relentless consistency looked like, and my mother, through every quiet sacrifice, taught me humility and strength.
I started my entrepreneurial journey at 19 with a rented desk and no financial cushion, just a vision—that professionals from India could lead at a global level with the same authority and precision as anyone else. Mumbai’s pace and pressure gave me the ability to think fast, act decisively, and stay grounded, no matter where I go in the world.
Q2: Working with clients like Vivek Oberoi, Zepto, and Middle Eastern royalty sounds exhilarating. What’s the human side of navigating these high-stakes relationships, and how do you build trust with such diverse figures?
Reply: It’s never about the spotlight—it’s about responsibility. When you advise ultra-high-net-worth individuals, royal family offices, or founders of billion-dollar companies, what they truly seek is discretion, foresight, and precision. At Water & Shark, we’ve had the privilege of working with BNW Developments, led by Ankur Agarwal and Vivek Anand Oberoi, where we provide end-to-end advisory for their family office, investment structuring, and international business ventures. We’ve supported multinational groups like Apparel Group, and have provided advisory services to unicorns such as Zepto, Bizongo, and PagarBook, including various audit and legal mandates from time to time.
On the royal side, our firm advises multiple royal family offices across the Middle East, including the Royal Office of His Highness Sheikh Tahnoon bin Saeed bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, offering solutions in legal structuring, succession planning, and capital advisory. At that level, expectations are high—but consistent: they want clarity, confidentiality, and competence. These clients don’t look for vendors—they look for partners who understand the stakes and deliver with unwavering integrity. That’s the ethos we’ve built Water & Shark upon.
Q3: Your 2023 European Parliament speech was a bold moment for a Mumbai native. What personal journey led you to that global stage, and how did it feel to represent India’s voice in such a setting?
Reply: It was more than a speaking engagement—it was a moment of representing the voice of a new, confident India. At the EU–India Leaders Conference at the European Parliament, I addressed the evolving partnership between India and Europe, especially in the context of industrial collaboration, sustainable manufacturing, and the future of the automobile and EV sectors. I spoke about how India can become a strategic hub for European manufacturing ambitions, with the right blend of scalability, policy stability, and tech readiness.
It wasn’t a legal or financial keynote—it was a diplomatic and developmental pitch, one that reflected the aspirations of a nation ready to lead. I’ve always believed that diplomacy matters as much as domain expertise. Whether it’s law, capital, or sustainability, India must be part of global conversations—not just as a participant, but as a partner.
I’m also honored to have been invited to speak at the British Parliament, and I see these platforms as a way to not only elevate dialogue but to ensure India’s strategic voice is heard and respected globally. I may work across borders, but India lives in my heart. I’m India by heart, global in vision.
Q4. Your career is marked by prestigious awards like “Champions of Change Award, Divya Chakra, and Acharya Abhinav Gupta award. How have these recognitions shaped your perspective, and what keeps you motivated beyond the accolades?”
Reply : Awards are markers of trust—but they’re never the destination. Being recognized with the Governor of Maharashtra – Champions of Change Award was incredibly meaningful, as it highlighted my contributions to driving positive change in the region. The Honourable Consulate General of India, Dubai – Govt of India Divya Chakra award acknowledged my efforts in fostering international relations and bridging gaps between India and the UAE. The Acharya Abhinav Gupta award, presented by the Honourable Governor
of West Bengal, HE Shri Keshari Nath Tripathi, recognized my dedication to promoting cultural and intellectual exchange.
These awards have shaped my perspective by reinforcing the importance of my work and the impact it has on communities and industries. They serve as reminders of the responsibility I carry to continue pushing boundaries and creating meaningful change. However, what truly motivates me beyond the accolades are the real outcomes and the people I work with. The quiet moments when a client says, “you solved something no one else could,” or when a team member grows into a leader, are what keep me grounded and driven. My purpose goes far beyond recognition—it’s about making a tangible difference in the world.
Q5: Your education spans commerce, law, and accounting. How did it shape your global mindset?
Reply: My education at Narsee Monjee College for commerce, G.J. Advani Law College for law, and ICAI for chartered accountancy built a strong foundation. I expanded globally professional membership with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) UK and Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Courts. But it’s not about degrees—it’s applying knowledge to solve cross-border challenges. Connecting law and finance, I learned to craft practical, compliant solutions, driven by precision and vision. That’s what made me a global professional.
Q6: Water & Shark’s global reach is impressive, spanning over 12 countries. What’s the driving force behind its growth, and how do you maintain that edge in a competitive field?
Reply: We didn’t scale for visibility—we scaled for value. From the outset, the goal wasn’t to become the largest, but to become the most relevant and reliable partner for cross-border strategy. We built multidisciplinary teams—lawyers, chartered accountants, tax experts, corporate advisors—who operate across borders.
Today, Water & Shark has a presence in over 12 countries, including India, the UAE, the UK, the US, and Singapore, and we’re trusted by royal family offices, unicorn founders, conglomerates, and growth-stage businesses alike. Our work spans everything from international tax structuring, family office succession, and trust advisory, to real estate investment strategies, fund formation, and regulatory compliance.
We’ve also evolved into new verticals—Water & Shark Capital serves as our investment and real estate advisory arm, and Water & Shark eMoney is our fintech initiative focused on building compliant digital banking infrastructure.
What sets us apart is simple: we solve complexity with clarity. We don’t just offer advice—we engineer strategic outcomes across jurisdictions. The real metric of our growth isn’t how many offices we have, but how many borders we’ve helped our clients cross—with confidence and compliance.
Q7: Every journey has its lows. What was your toughest challenge, and how did you find the strength to push through?
Reply: There have been many defining moments, but one of the toughest was scaling into new jurisdictions during the pandemic. We were setting up operations in Singapore, the UK,
and the Middle East, while managing remote teams, volatile regulatory shifts, and the expectations of high-stakes clients—including royal family offices and hyper-growth companies. Every move had to be precise, compliant, and seamless.
But to be honest, the real challenge started much earlier—when I decided to build this firm at the age of 19, with no capital, no infrastructure, and no roadmap. Just a vision—to create a global firm from India that could one day match the strategic power and technical depth of the Big Four. And when you’re chasing that kind of ambition, you’re not waiting for perfect conditions. You roll up your sleeves, you build as you go, and you grow through the unknown.
There’s no playbook for that. What carried us forward was our belief in clarity, consistency, and character. I wasn’t just building a company—I was shaping a standard. And even today, I won’t say the toughest moment has passed. Because challenges don’t disappear—they evolve. And I welcome them. Challenges refine you. They raise the bar. They make you sharper, better, and hungrier.
As H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said, “Opportunities are made; they do not just lie around waiting for someone to grab them.” That mindset has shaped every step of this journey.
Q8: For young Indians chasing big dreams, what’s the one piece of advice you’d share from your remarkable journey?
Reply: Dream big, but build even bigger. Don’t wait for validation—start creating value now. Competence beats confidence, and credibility opens more doors than contacts. Think globally, act locally, and stay humble. In a fast-changing world, those who stay ethical while chasing excellence will truly lead—not just for themselves, but for the world.
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