# Aban Pestonjee > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Aban_Pestonjee > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Aban_Pestonjee.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aban_Pestonjee > Source revision: 1334848430 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Sri Lankan entrepreneur}} {{Infobox person | name = Aban Pestonjee | image = Aban_Pestonjee_-_chairperson_of_Abans_Group.jpg | image_size = | caption = Pestonjee in 2010 | birth_name = | birth_date = | birth_place = | alma_mater = | occupation = [Entrepreneur](/source/Entrepreneur){{cite web|title=Aban Pestonjee – Entrepreneur|url=http://zoroastrians.net/2008/01/04/aban-pestonjee-entrepreneur/|publisher=www.zoroastrians.net|accessdate=26 June 2013}} | known_for = Chairperson of [Abans](/source/Abans) group of Companies{{cite web|title=The life-force behind Abans|url=http://www.island.lk/2002/03/10/leisur01.html|publisher=Official website of The Island News Paper, Sri Lanka|accessdate=26 June 2013}} | title = | spouse = P.N.Pestonjee | children = Saroshi, Behman, Rusi | signature = | signature_alt = | website = http://abansgroup.com }} '''Aban Pestonjee''' ({{langx|si|අබාන් පෙස්ටොන්ජි}}) is the [chairperson](/source/Chairman) and founder of the [Abans](/source/Abans) group of companies. She is known as one of the first entrepreneurs who initiated in first bringing Korean technology to [Sri Lanka](/source/Sri_Lanka)n consumers. Pestonjee launched her business in 1968 in her home garage where she managed to restore the used appliances which she acquired from auctions and home sales to better working condition and sell them at her corner shop in Galle Road. == Personal life == Pestonjee is of [Parsi](/source/Parsis) descent. == Business life == Aban Pestonjee launched her business under the name Abans in 1968 at her home garage, where she managed to restore the used appliances she acquired from auctions and home sales to better working condition and sell them at her corner shop at [Bambalapitiya](/source/Bambalapitiya), Galle Road.{{Cite web |title=A Sri Lankan story: Abans Group’s journey from corner store to corporate giant {{!}} Daily FT |url=https://www.ft.lk/business/A-Sri-Lankan-story-Abans-Group-s-journey-from-corner-store-to-corporate-giant/34-689270 |access-date=2024-03-24 |website=www.ft.lk |language=English}} She came up with the idea to launch her own company at a time when Sri Lanka entered into the prospect of a closed economy in the 1960s, which also resulted in the subsequent ban on imports. Aban also took note of how difficult it was to complete household chores through manual labour due to restrictions imposed by Sri Lankan government on importing raw materials and cashed in on the potential by selling secondhand home appliances sourced through embassy auctions. In 1978, the economy opened up and there was a large inflow of imported products. This led to an increased demand from the customers for quality global brands. First, she imported products from [England](/source/England), then from [Thailand](/source/Thailand), [China](/source/China), [Japan](/source/Japan) and [Korea](/source/Korea). Abans Group is mainly divided into 5 business categories such as retail, services,{{cite web|title=Abans retail|url=http://buyabans.lk/|accessdate=27 June 2013}} logistics, manufacturing and real estate and infrastructure development under which come Abans (Pvt) Ltd, Abans automobile,{{cite web|title=Abans Automobile Division |url=http://www.abansgroup.com/loader/page/automobile/index |publisher=Abans Group official website |accessdate=27 June 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130704021256/http://www.abansgroup.com/loader/page/automobile/index |archivedate=4 July 2013 }} Abans Abstract,{{cite web|title=Abans Group - Abstract |url=http://www.abansgroup.com/loader/page/aworld/index |publisher=Abans Group official website |accessdate=27 June 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130629155333/http://www.abansgroup.com/loader/page/aworld/index |archivedate=29 June 2013 }} S.A. Electricals (Pvt) Ltd Services, Abans Central AC Division, Abans Finance,{{cite web|title=Abans Finance|url=http://www.abansfinance.lk/|accessdate=26 June 2013}} Abans Tours,{{cite web|title=Abans Tours|url=http://abanstours.lk/|accessdate=26 June 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130531111532/http://www.abanstours.lk/|archive-date=31 May 2013|url-status=dead}} AB Securities (Pvt) Ltd etc. == Awards and honours == * The Award of Excellence for Woman Achievers for Outstanding Achievement from the SAARC Women's association in Year 2000.{{cite web|title=Aban Pestonjee|url=http://www.slbo.lk/investcse/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=43|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130628040440/http://www.slbo.lk/investcse/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=43|url-status=dead|archive-date=28 June 2013|publisher=Invest CSE website|accessdate=26 June 2013}} * The Bronze Award for the Large Business Category by the Women's Chamber of Industry & Commerce at the Year 2000 Women Entrepreneurs of the Year Award Ceremony. * KOTRA Plaque of Appreciation -- 2005 for forging strategic foreign economic ties between Korea & Sri Lanka presented by Mr. Young Kyo, president and CEO of the [Korea Trade Promotion Agency](/source/KOTRA).{{cite web|title=Aban Pestonjee receives 'Kotra' plaque|url=https://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2005/01/23/bus12.html|publisher=Official website of Sunday Observer news paper, Sri Lanka|access-date=2013-06-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304041729/http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2005/01/23/bus12.html|archive-date=2016-03-04|url-status=live}} * In 2006, she received International Recognition for winning the Leading Women Entrepreneur of the World award.{{cite web|title=Women Entrepreneurs Award for Abans Chief |url=http://www.dailynews.lk/2006/03/20/fin07.asp |publisher=Official website of Daily News paper, Sri Lanka |accessdate=26 June 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080524075352/http://www.dailynews.lk/2006/03/20/fin07.asp |archivedate=24 May 2008 }} Mrs. Pestonjee was awarded the prize by the Princess of [Thailand](/source/Thailand). * She also received the [LG](/source/LG_Corp) award for the Best Importer on [South-East Asia](/source/Southeast_Asia) on behalf of Abans Limited.{{cite web|title=Abans awarded Best LG Importer in SouthEast Asia|url=http://www.island.lk/2006/11/18/business7.html|publisher=Official website of the Island paper, Sri Lanka}}{{cite web|title=Abans awarded best LG importer in South-east Asia|url=http://www.nation.lk/2006/11/19/busi8.htm|publisher=www.nation.lk/|accessdate=26 June 2013}} == References == {{Reflist}} == External links == * [http://abansgroup.com/ Abans Group of Companies] {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Pestonjee, Aban}} Category:Living people Category:Sri Lankan businesspeople Category:Sri Lankan Zoroastrians Category:Sri Lankan businesswomen Category:Sri Lankan people of Parsi descent Category:Year of birth missing (living people) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Aban Pestonjee](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aban_Pestonjee) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aban_Pestonjee?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.