Abans’ Tanaz Pestonjee wins Transformational Business Leader of the Year Award

Tanaz Pestonjee

Abans Group Director Business Development Tanaz Pestonjee has been awarded the Transformational Business Leader of the Year at the 15th Top 50 Professional & Career Women Global Awards 2025, held at Shangri-La Colombo recently.

This international award, presented by Women in Management, celebrates exceptional female leaders who have successfully redefined industries through their purpose-driven leadership.

Representing the third generation of leadership at Abans, Tanaz is a business development leader with over 15 years of experience in retail and brand management. With a B.A. in Psychology from Monash University, her journey began as a trainee buyer at Abstract Lanka, a subsidiary of Abans, where she pioneered the creation of in-house brands working closely with local SMEs while expanding the company’s retail footprint, demonstrating her early aptitude for strategic growth and creative branding.

As Director Business Development and former Head of Lifestyle Brands at Abans PLC, she has been a key force in transforming Abans from a consumer durables provider to a dynamic lifestyle retailer by introducing iconic international brands like Skechers, Under Armour and Hugo Boss. This wasn’t just about business; it was about elevating Sri Lanka’s retail landscape and bringing global standards home.

She has successfully managed a variety of retail formats including international brand stores, large-scale department stores, Sri Lanka’s first exclusive luxury brand boutique and the country’s first international-standard shopping mall. Her ability to blend global retail trends with local market dynamics has positioned Abans as a leader in premium lifestyle retail.

Her influence extends beyond corporate growth. During the 2022 economic crisis she creatively supported local SMEs by providing them with a retailing platform within the Abans Lifestyle retail footprint, a move that ensured continued business operations during import restrictions while uplifting local entrepreneurs.

Her achievements have previously earned her recognition in Cosmopolitan’s 35 Under 35 list and LMD’s Millennial Torchbearers 2020.