Built by founders,
for founders.
Strategic Brand Investments (SBI) is a purpose-driven angel fund founded by Eric and Myriam Malka, renowned for their entrepreneurial success with The Art of Shaving.
Eric & Myriam Malka
Myriam and Eric Malka met in Miami, united by their shared passion for natural health and entrepreneurship. Myriam, with a background in the spa industry, aspired to start her own business. Eric, a seasoned entrepreneur, was rebuilding after a major setback. Together, they set out to build something new.
In 1995, they moved to New York City in search of opportunity. Myriam immersed herself in herbology, Eastern medicine, and aromatherapy, while Eric joined a small company distributing traditional English shaving products.
One evening in the kitchen of their Manhattan apartment, Myriam created a special oil for Eric to use before shaving. The next morning he told her, "That was the best shave of my life."
Inspired by that moment, they launched a new shaving brand. They sold their car to fund the venture and rented a small shop on Manhattan's Upper East Side, designed by Myriam. In the fall of 1996, they opened their doors under a simple sign: The Art of Shaving.
Myriam, an early pioneer of green chemistry, formulated products using high-quality botanical ingredients and pure essential oils, avoiding harsh chemicals. Eric focused on building and scaling the business. Within a decade, The Art of Shaving became America's leading prestige men's grooming brand.
In 2009, the company was acquired by Gillette, part of Procter & Gamble.
In 2014, Myriam and Eric founded Strategic Brand Investments (SBI), an investment firm dedicated to supporting early-stage founders with capital, mentorship, and strategic guidance.
Our purpose is to help entrepreneurs build iconic brands and give them the tools, insight, and support they need to win.
Eric & Myriam Malka — Founders, SBI
Eric Malka
Co-Founder + Managing PartnerEric Malka is an entrepreneur, investor and author with more than three decades of experience building luxury consumer brands. Best known as the co-founder and former CEO of The Art of Shaving, Eric helped redefine modern men's grooming by elevating a daily ritual into a global luxury category.
Under his leadership, The Art of Shaving grew from a single boutique in New York City into an internationally recognized brand with over 150 retail locations and international prestige retail distribution. In 2009, the company was acquired by Gillette/Procter & Gamble, where Eric continued as CEO through 2010, guiding the transition and helping integrate the brand into P&G's global portfolio.
In 2014 Eric co-founded Strategic Brand Investments (SBI) — a private equity fund specializing in early-stage consumer brands with strong identities and mission-driven founders. As Managing Partner, he leverages his deep expertise in brand creation, operations, and strategic storytelling to empower entrepreneurs to scale sustainably and build long-term enterprise value.
Beyond business, Eric is a passionate advocate for natural health and conscious entrepreneurship. He is the author of On the Razor's Edge, a memoir that traces his journey from arriving in New York City as a 17-year-old undocumented immigrant with $100 in his pocket to leading a multimillion-dollar acquisition by one of the world's largest consumer goods companies.
Myriam Zaoui-Malka
Co-Founder + General PartnerMyriam Zaoui-Malka is a visionary formulator and early pioneer in Green Chemistry, with more than three decades of experience in clean beauty and sustainable product innovation. Her expertise spans herbology, nutrition, aromatherapy, and botanical science, grounded in a lifelong commitment to toxin-free, plant-based health and wellness. She holds a diploma in Medicinal Plants from Cornell University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, where she studied the therapeutic properties of botanical compounds and their effects on human health.
After moving from her native Paris to New York in her twenties, Myriam co-founded The Art of Shaving. Over nearly 15 years as Chief Science Officer, she established the company's in-house laboratory, led product development, and helped shape the brand's identity, packaging, and go-to-market strategy. Her formulation philosophy—centered on botanical efficacy, ingredient integrity, and sensorial experience—helped redefine the modern grooming category.
Following the brand's acquisition by Procter & Gamble, Myriam collaborated with P&G's R&D teams on upstream product development, formulation, and testing. She later expanded her expertise in dermatology, developing medical-grade skincare brands and deepening her knowledge of skin biology, aging, and therapeutic skincare.
Today, as Co-Founder and General Partner of Strategic Brand Investments (SBI), Myriam works closely with emerging beauty and wellness brands, guiding founders from formulation and ingredient sourcing to manufacturing, regulatory compliance, and launch-ready products. Her holistic approach continues to shape the next generation of clean beauty innovation.