Mrs. Aban Pestonjee Named Woman Entrepreneur of the Year

Mrs. Aban Pestonjee, Chairperson and Founder of the Abans Group, was adjudged Woman Entrepreneur of the Year at the Women’s Chamber of Industry and Commerce (WCIC) “Unstoppable – The Future Belongs to Her” Woman Entrepreneur of the Year 2017 awards, which was recently held on August 4, 2018 at Taj Samudra, Colombo. She also attained the “Gold” award for her ingenious entrepreneurial skills in the extra large business enterprise category.

“When I started [this] business, there were hardly any women in business. Today we have women who are leading most fields in the Government sector, the corporate sector and they are all doing very well. I also know that WCIC is helping the women in need to bring up their lives and to start businesses. I wish them all the best, and I deeply thank WCIC for the awards,” said Mrs. Pestonjee upon receiving these milestone awards.

The illustrious occasion saw the gathering of the upper echelons of Sri Lanka’s business community and important Government dignitaries. Further, the main award of the evening, Woman Entrepreneur of the Year 2017, was presented by Chief Guest of Honour, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Hon. Ranil Wickremesinghe on behalf of WCIC to Mrs. Pestonjee.

The Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Awards was a premier event hosted by the Women’s Chamber of Industry and Commerce (WCIC), a prestigious non-profit organization that predominantly focuses on empowering female entrepreneurs across Sri Lanka, and improving the overall work environment for women. The primary aim of this awards function was to recognize the outstanding contributions of women entrepreneurs in their respective fields.

Determined to fulfill the goal of making the lives of homemakers like herself easier, Mrs. Aban Pestonjee founded the Abans Group as a modest corner store at Galle Road, Bambalapitiya in 1968. Purchasing quality home appliances put out for sale at auctions, especially conducted by embassies, and reselling them with a guarantee were the core operations of her business.

In 1978, when Sri Lanka emerged into an open economy, Mrs. Pestonjee began writing regularly to large British companies that distributed popular international brands. At first, several refused. However, her strong persistence led to Electrolux representatives visiting her store and service centre, which was then located in her home garage. Deeply impressed, Electrolux became the first brand to join hands with Abans to enter the Sri Lankan market. Soon, other famous brands including Hoover, Pyrex, and Russell Hobbs started knocking on her door.

Guided by the simple business model of honesty, hard work, and perseverance, Mrs. Aban Pestonjee’s tireless efforts has resulted in the Abans Group being the corporate giant it is today.