Q: How has HORSE evolved in Latin America since 2021, and what key milestones stand out?

JD: Since launching our first ranking in Mexico in 2022, HORSE has expanded across Latin America (including Brazil, Chile, and Colombia), US and Middle East. Our projects now have a global scope, matching the cross-border needs of our clients. Our rankings remain a key marketing tool, and we are growing into Central America and the Caribbean. The leadership transformation we identified years ago is accelerating, with companies adopting new tools to boost executive visibility.

CM: When founding HORSE seven years ago, we anticipated two key trends: audiences gravitating toward personal connections with leaders over corporate brands, and content shifting to direct channels like LinkedIn and podcasts. The pandemic accelerated these trends, highlighting leaders’ public roles. Additionally, AI’s rise is reshaping the landscape. From the start, we integrated data and technology into our approach, a necessity today. Still, the greatest challenge remains the human factor in fully embracing these changes.

Q: What role do the rankings play within your overall business strategy?

CM: Rankings primarily serve as a visibility tool to enter new markets and showcase our data-driven methodology. Our core business focuses on consulting: helping companies and executives with positioning, data analysis, and market intelligence. Rankings provide equitable, multisectoral benchmarks that enable clients to understand their standing relative to competitors.

Q: What role does LinkedIn play in shaping executive and corporate brand positioning in Latin America?

CM: LinkedIn is the primary platform for executive positioning, with 95% of the top executives we analyze being active there, against only 10–15% on X. Traditional media presence is declining. Many executives post generic content without a strategy, confusing visibility with true influence. Likeable content does not guarantee impact. Most efforts lack clear direction and long-term results. We help leaders move beyond visibility toward strategic differentiation, emphasizing the need for a defined strategy to measure real impact.

JD: LinkedIn favors people over brands. Company pages are losing traction, while executives drive engagement. But without clear objectives, many still use the platform ineffectively.

Q: How does the new leadership archetype in Latin America build influence and attract talent effectively?

CM: We define the new leadership archetype through our Thought Leadership model, which focuses on a consistent and aligned narrative that connects business objectives, personal vision, and social relevance. Leaders must sustain this message across media, digital platforms, and industry spaces over time. Our Eminence Score quantifies how effectively executives build enduring influence. This strategic positioning attracts top talent and fosters a culture rooted in innovation, sustainability, and purpose, moving far beyond transactional recruitment.

Q: What common strategic traits have you observed in leaders among the most transformative organizations in Latin America?

JD: Transformative leaders have moved from low-profile roles to becoming visible public figures who share forward-looking insights that benefit their companies. While younger leaders embrace this shift more naturally, it spans generations and industries. These leaders often have strong influence within their specific niches, even if they are not widely known by the general public, which reflects the segmented nature of today’s markets.

CM: These leaders engage strategically across multiple channels, including social media, interviews, and podcasts, with clear, targeted messaging focused on meaningful positioning rather than broad exposure. Consistency in leadership presence is critical. Successful organizations ensure strong CEO visibility supported by a solid leadership team and a second tier of executives. Social media alone is insufficient without this sustained, visible leadership.

Q: How has big data influenced your services and clients’ adoption of executive eminence? Are early adopters more data-driven now?

CM: Data and technology separate companies willing to innovate from those stuck in old patterns, hence our name, HORSE, which symbolizes the futility of repeating the same actions. We use AI to collect and analyze vast public data, transforming it into actionable insights. This enables us to recommend targeted, consistent strategies for positioning executives and companies, benchmarked against global trends. Early adopters, mainly C-level executives, are becoming more data-driven, while marketing, communications, and HR teams are still catching up. Our most successful clients combine visionary CEOs with aligned teams to drive meaningful impact.

JD: Innovation usually starts with the CEO or top leadership, who influences the rest of the organization. Despite common beliefs, it rarely begins in tech or marketing departments. Without the leader’s vision and coordinated execution by operational teams, innovation ambitions remain unrealized.

Q: How has your platform, Charlie, evolved recently in terms of data scraping, processing, and automation?

CM: Charlie evolves weekly, continuously adding new data sources and media platforms to enhance analytics. Our technology focuses on automation to let humans concentrate on strategic work rather than repetitive tasks. We are developing a live global ranking that updates in real time, allowing users instant access to benchmarks and insights on executives and companies worldwide. This product, still in development, promises to revolutionize access to positioning data.

Q: What are your upcoming projects or expansions beyond the live global ranking?

JD: We plan to launch our first ranking for Central America and the Caribbean by the last quarter of this year, targeting a diverse and underexplored market.

CM: We are also considering launching rankings in Europe, likely in 2026, either by country or regionally. Our long-term vision is to develop a global product covering key markets, companies, and executives worldwide.

HORSE Consulting, is a global tech-driven consulting firm redefining leadership through a unique method that blends AI, Big Data, and seamless execution.