HISTORY

Sheikh Ibrahim H. Batterjee in his office in Jeddah

The beginning:

In the year 1908, Sheikh Ibrahim H. Batterjee established “I. H. Batterjee & Sons”, to signal the beginning of this ever evolving family business.

In these days, the merchants of Jeddah were known to be hard working, honest and supportive to their society. Sheikh Ibrahim Batterjee was one of these people carrying these main qualities which have been transferred to his descendants after him, and which lead to the trust in his name and company.

This trust in his name and company, made a brand of the BATTERJEE name, which has been highly recognized since then. The main virtues that this brand reflects have lead to a sustainable growth of the family business.

In addition to his great qualities as an entrepreneur and his concern about the society, he was long-sighted. In the difficult years in the 40’s and the 50’s, he made a strategic decision to dedicate a large part of his modest income to educate his sons.

In the time when the people of Jeddah were barely able to read and write, Sheik I. H. Batterjee decided to give his sons the opportunity to continue their studies abroad. They went to Egypt, Great Britain and the United States. They came back with degrees in pharmaceuticals, management and law.

This strategic decision has led to a faster growth of the business, and the natural instinct of Sheikh I. H. Batterjee was combined with his sons’ world-class education which has improved the BATTERJEE brand even more.

Sheikh Mohammed Ibrahim Batterjee:

Sheikh Mohammed Ibrahim Batterjee, the founder of Batterjee Holding Company, was born in Jeddah in the year 1929. During his childhood, he was studying as well as helping his father in their family business. After he finished his primary schooling in Al-Falah school in Jeddah, the young, yet determined Batterjee flew from Jeddah to Luxor, and then to Cairo to complete his schooling in Egypt, where he spent a number of years, learning and building relationships that helped immensely in the future.

Following his high school, he flew again from Jeddah, Luxor, Cairo, Malta, Paris and finally he reached London. In London he received his BSc and came back to Jeddah to help manage and develop the growing family business.

Sheikh Mohamed Batterjee in London while perusing his degree

Working with his brothers, they were successful in setting up one of the first Pharmacies in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Since then, other pharmacies were set up and the Batterjee name became associated with pharmaceuticals and highly recognized.

In 1956, Al-Batterjee National Pharmaceutical Stores & Pharmacies was established. The company pioneered the import of international pharmaceutical and cosmetics brands and became an exclusive agent for many reputed international brands like Eli Lily, Bayer, Upjohn, Organon, Carter Wallace, SK & F, Beecham, Evian, Delande, Johnson & Johnson, Scholl, Squibb, Farmitalia, Sandoz, Lagerfield and Elizabeth Arden.

Sheikh Mohammed Batterjee, after achieving a remarkable progress in the agency lines with his business acumen, laid the foundation for BATTERJEE TRADING, INDUSTRIAL AND MEDICAL COMPANY, in early 1975, under the name of AL BATTERJEE GROUP.

The GROUP backed by technical expertise and led by professionals of high caliber in each sphere of activity, has achieved an enviable position in the marketplace. While on one side the GROUP is serving the consumers through value for money products and services, on the other the GROUP is providing job opportunities to Saudi Nationals and contributing to the welfare and growth of the Nation's economy.