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A leadership structure centered around creating value, bring dreams to life with positive thinking.
At the time of Svengali's inception, Anselm Tabansi had just returned from the United Kingdom in 1986, where he obtained a Law degree from University College London and practiced law for a few years in Lagos, Nigeria. Despite a promising trajectory at a prestigious firm, he grew increasingly dissatisfied with the confines of legal practice. Drawn by his deeper creative instinct, he made the decisive move to step away from law and pursue what he believed to be his true calling: Interior Design.
While abroad, Anselm developed a discerning eye for interiors. This led him to begin trading interior accessories in 1992. What started as a quiet exploration soon became the foundation of something much larger. During a routine sourcing trip, he stumbled upon what he recognized as an emerging trend in Western markets - wrought iron furniture. Sensing its untapped potential, he returned to Lagos to set up shop in Mushin. With a small team of one highly skilled welder and himself, Anselm's creativity thrust this obscure metal into refined and expressive pieces that would find their way into homes across Lagos. As a result of this ingenuity, he was dubbed "The King of Wrought Iron".
By the late 90s, as the wrought iron trend reached its peak, Anselm anticipated its natural evolution and began to venture into soft furnishings. This period marked the beginning of his enduring relationship with Nigeria's hospitality industry. He became a defining force behind the landscape of nightlife in Nigeria, with Svengali's signature touch evident throughout. Around this time, he further strengthened his business acumen by completing a Master of Business Administration at the reputable Lagos Business School. With the requisite experience, credibility and vision, his focus turned firmly towards growth.
Determined to leave a lasting imprint on the design industry, Anselm aligned Svengali with leading modern and contemporary furniture houses around the world, ushering in a new standard of sophistication to the Nigerian market. This led to the creation of Svengali + Poliform, an expansion into stainless steel balustrading - another pivotal step he took in modernizing residential and commercial spaces, and reshaping Nigeria's design landscape.
In 2015, he undertook one of Svengali's most defining projects: the transformation of an abandoned apartment complex in the heart of Victoria Island into Maison Fahrenheit, the most vibrant boutique hotel Nigeria had thus far seen. Through a complete reimagining of the interior layout and a thoughtful refurbishment of the exterior, it emerged as a 30-room destination featuring two restaurants, a poolside bar, and, most memorably, a stellar rooftop lounge that would set the benchmark for all that followed. The project was a clear statement of intent, a demonstration of scale, vision and Svengali's growing influence.
A founding member and former President of the Interior Designers Association of Nigeria (IDAN), as well as a member of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Anselm is a firm believer in the strength of Nigeria's creative ecosystem. In alignment with this belief, he has returned to the roots of Svengali in local manufacturing. Today, with a growing workforce of over 120 people, Svengali is focused on producing furniture pieces that can compete on the global stage, while continuing to define the design landscape of Nigeria and, ultimately, across Africa.
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Jeremy Tabansi is the Executive Director, Operations at Svengali, where he works alongside his father, Anselm Tabansi, to drive the company’s next phase of growth and evolution. Born at the onset of Svengali’s journey, he was privy to the inner workings of the business, gaining a firsthand understanding of its organic rise into one of Nigeria’s leading interior design and manufacturing firms. He pursued his education abroad, obtaining a degree in Civil Engineering from Hofstra University in New York.
Following his studies, Jeremy began his professional career in New York City, initially working in construction before transitioning into the furniture industry in preparation for his return to Nigeria. During this time, he gained valuable exposure working with furniture houses that have long-standing relationships with Svengali, further deepening his understanding of the global design and manufacturing landscape.
Having developed his expertise overseas, Jeremy returned to Nigeria to take on a leadership role within the family business. As Executive Director, Operations, he oversees operations, creative direction, and aspects of strategic growth, working in close alignment with his father to build on Svengali’s established legacy. With a strong emphasis on maximizing space within practical constraints, he is focused on creating pieces and environments that are not only refined, but built to last.
Jeremy believes in the untapped potential of Nigeria’s production landscape. While acknowledging the progress made, he remains committed to raising standards, with the conviction that a stronger industry benefits all — and that, in time, Nigerian manufacturing can stand confidently on the global stage.
With over three decades of excellence behind the brand, Jeremy represents a new generation of leadership at Svengali — one focused on expanding its reach beyond Nigeria into the wider African market, while introducing the brand to a younger, global audience. His long-term vision is to see Svengali continue to evolve, scale, and endure for decades to come.
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An Interior design agency dedicated to bringing your ideas to life. Where creativity meets purpose.
