KARACHI: Aster Healthcare, a leading nursing home as well as a property developer in the United Kingdom (UK), plans to invest Rs1 billion (approximately $5.7 million) in Pakistan’s health care sector as part of its expansion to Middle East and South Asia, a top company official said.
The London-based health care provider owns and operates four care homes for people who require accommodation, personal and nursing care in the UK. Apart from provision of health care services, it is also planning to help local artisans hone their skills as part of its overseas expansion to Pakistan.
“We are looking at investing a large sum of money, initially up to around Rs1 billion ($5.7 million) in Pakistan and the amount will be increased as the need arises when investment grows,” Sheth Jeebun, the Aster Healthcare managing director, told Arab News in an interview this week.
Mauritius-born Jeebun said currently only 236,000 UK businesses were operating internationally, with over £4.55 billion worth of business in the home décor sector. There was a huge potential in Pakistan and neighboring countries, he believed.
“We believe there are huge markets for handmade products in India, Pakistan, Nepal etc. that have not been introduced to the 21st-century and are only visited by tourists on a small scale,” he said.
“We want to bring this to the homes of people who cannot reach that far, and feel the quality and hard work of these women being part of their lives.”
To a question about investment plans for the Middle East, the Aster Healthcare chief said he was aiming for Dubai for future growth of artisan products.
“We are already starting a project in India and the market for that product would initially be in the UK, US, Europe and the UAE, in particular we are aiming at Dubai for our future growth. It’s artisan products with a twist with the most beautiful, vibrant and bold colors, with a difference,” he said.
“We will not be stagnant in our ideas for the products and we will continuously look for inspiration and bring a variety to the world. With more and more activity on the Internet, access to quick product movement to the UK, Europe and other places, we see the movement of UAE/Dubai as part of our growth and will continue to monitor the trends.”
This caption: Sheth Jeebun, the Aster Healthcare managing director, says he will help Pakistani and Indian artisans hone their skills after launching healthcare services in both countries. (Picture courtesy: Sheth Jeebun)
Jeebun, who has over 30 years of experience in the health care sector, said his company was not looking for a partnership in Pakistan, but it would independently run its operations and provide support to artisans as an obligation for the promotion of art.
“No, we are not looking for local partners, however, we are looking to work with local NGOs in Pakistan to help us in the more obscure and untraveled parts of the country,” he said. “We are going to be providing artisan products with a twist.”
The health care provider says it will set up nursing homes and other health care facilities, and is open to other businesses in Pakistan and India.
“We are open to the places and the types of business opportunities in both the countries. The idea is to put ourselves out there to attract as many enthusiasts who are willing to put their hard work, their heart and soul into what they love doing to make it a success,” Jeebun said.
“It is a business at the end of the day and we are looking for the opportunities to be lucrative. If we grow, they grow.”
Though the Aster Healthcare MD did not disclose when his company would start operations in Pakistan, he said Lahore, along with Delhi and Mumbai, have become attractive destinations for investment.
“Both India and Pakistan are a growing market and when US banned imports from China’s Xinjiang region late last year, Delhi, Mumbai and Lahore have become more attractive destinations to invest,” he said.
“And in doing so, I will also be helping many talented artisans and giving them a platform to show off their incredible talents to the world. It’s a global world we live in where we can help each other.”
About the competition from existing health care players in Pakistan, Jeebun said he was confident of offering the best products.
“We appreciate that there are competitors, however, our focus and vision is always on what our company does differently to others. We are very confident that we will be offering the best of the best products,” he said.
The Aster Healthcare chief said they were launching a project in India’s artisan sector by the end of April, where some products or crafts had been around for over 4,000 years with a strong handmade background.
