Our Story

Shilen Thakerar was born in Kisumu, Kenya, and spent his early primary school years by the lush Lake Victoria. Despite facing many challenges as a rebellious child, he was sent to boarding school in the UK at the age of 11. Initially, he disliked the experience and the cold weather in Brighton, where he completed his secondary education. However, this experience ultimately shaped who he is today.

Shilen enrolled in Business and Engineering at the University of Coventry but realized within one term that it wasn’t for him. He returned to Kisumu in 1993.

In 1998, he moved to Nairobi in search of better opportunities. Contrary to the common business advice against partnering with a significant other, Shilen met his life and business partner, Bansri, in October 1998. Together, they formed a strong team: Bansri handled administration and finance, while Shilen focused on sales and marketing. Bansri, born and raised in Nairobi, moved to the UK to study Business and French at the University of Bolton before returning to Nairobi in 1998 to work as a management consultant.

The vision for Crown Healthcare was conceived and documented in a business plan when Shilen was just 16 years old, during a case study in the UK.

Crown Healthcare has now been in the industry for 25 years, growing to become the leading supplier of End to End hospital solutions. With a presence in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Nigeria and Ghana, they have established themselves as the leading providers of world-class medical devices, disposables, and pharmaceutical products across the African region.

Inspiring the future of Healthcare in Africa.

Many of us come from humble beginnings. We achieve success through dreams, hard work, and a bit of good fortune.