Our Activities

Sir Fazalbhoy Currimbhoy Ebrahim, 1st Baronet is credited with founding E. Pabaney & Co, a family held trading and ship owning company whose trading interests extended as far as the Arabian peninsula, the African coast and China.

The family was based in Bombay, and had been active in Canton (the capital city of the Guangdong Province in southern China) before the Opium War. They had a virtual monopoly on India's overseas merchandising. They continued to maintain a considerable stake in the opium trade through E. Pabaney & Co, with branch offices springing up in Hong Kong and Shanghai during the latter half of the 19th century.

The Currimbhoy business empire started in the early 1820's in the ancient Indian dhow port of Mandvi. It was from here that Ebrahim Pabaney, a wealthy and enterprising trader, who owned his own ships, traded with Arabia, Zanzibar and Bombay. Later, he moved his business to the bustling English port city from where he expanded into sending cotton-yarn to Canton (Guangdong), China.

When Ebrahim died in 1856, his youngest son, Sir Fazulbhoy Currimbhoy at only 16 founded E. Pabaney & Co. In 1857, the family firm, E. Pabaney & Co. opened a branch in Hongkong followed by similar branches at Shanghai (China) and Kobe (Japan). Upon the strength of these trading agencies and by other carefully judged gambles, Sir Currimbhoy grew the firm into the second largest trading company in India, exporting opium, cotton, yarn and importing silk.

For Sir Currimbhoy, the profits of the far eastern trade as well his existing connections to the demand for yarn from China encouraged him to invest into the Bombay cotton textiles industry. He started by buying over the managing agency of an old British mill.

For Sir Currimbhoy, the profits of the far eastern trade as well his existing connections to the demand for yarn from China encouraged him to invest into the Bombay cotton textiles industry.

In 1888, he purchased a group of defunct mills which he dubbed the Currimbhoy Mills; ten years later, he acquired the Mahomedbhoy Mills; in 1900 he purchased the Crescent Mills, by which time the business controlled additional four mills in Bombay. In 1905, he set up the Currimbhoy Bleaching and Dyeing Works, and finally in 1915, he acquired the Pearl Mills.

In 1910, Sir Fazalbhoy Currimbhoy Ebrahim was the wealthiest Indian in the world, and was conferred the only hereditary Baronetcy given to a Muslim under the patronage of Great Britain and Ireland.

Current Activities

The family trusts are run by the eldest direct male descendant of the 1st Baronet, Tabrik Currimbhoy, who is Chairman of the Currimbhoy Ebrahim Khoja Trust (1901).

Sharik Currimbhoy is the Chairman of E. Pabaney & Co. He also is serves as Chairman of its subsidiaries and associated companies: Goldstein Roth & Co., Goldstein Roth Ventures and Industries Ltd., Currimbhoy Mills Ltd. and GSR Finance Ltd.

Our Chairman is also the erstwhile Vice-President, and the sole heir of the Shahnaz Herbal cosmetics empire, India’s leading consumer good luxury brand, which as deemed to be one of the most valuable beauty brands in Asia. He is also on the board of SAIL UK Ltd., as well as on the various Indian businesses associated with the consumer goods conglomerate. It was started by his grandmother at 24 is a hobby, and is credited with bringing the first Indian brand to the west. She was the first Woman win Success Magazine’s Award, as well as being conferred the Padma Awards, India’s highest civilian honour. She is the great grand-daughter of Sir Afsar-ul-Mulk.

Sharik Currimbhoy, Chairman of E. Pabaney and Co. is the only direct descendant and only living heir from both sides the Sir Currimbhoy Ebrahim Baronetcy Empire as well and the royal lineage of that of Sir Afsar- Ul-Mulk..

Because of this the Currimbhoy Family Dynasty and the Shahnaz Herbal businesses are interlinked, having a single common sole heir. All businesses are privately held between Sharik Currimbhoy & Shahnaz Husain, have no outside shareholders, and no debt.