The Ofer family retains a controlling interest in Israel Corp, a publicly traded chemicals, energy and shipping conglomerate with operations around the world. Since the death of Samy Ofer in 2011, eldest son Idan and his brother Eyal have been at the head of the family, with Eyal continuing to serve as Chairman of Ofer Global (Global Holdings), the holding company from which the entire family have derived multi-billionaire status. Eyal’s personal fortune is currently estimated at $USD9.4 billion, while younger brother Idan is estimated to be worth $USD4.7 billion, ranking them each highly on global rich lists. At the time of his death as an 89-year-old in 2011, Samy Ofer was Israel’s wealthiest man, with the New York Times detailing his “rags to riches” story that included several high-profile controversies. Later in his life, Samy became one of the world’s most notable philanthropists, donating millions to causes including London’s National Maritime Museum and the Ramban Health Care Campus in Israel. In 2008, he was made an Honorary Commander of the Order of the British Empire. His brother, Yuli, also made his fortune in shipping after he and Samy started the Ofer Brothers Group, supplying ships servicing Mediterranean trading routes with necessary equipment and supplies. Once it became a success, Samy was put in charge of international operations, while Yuli took care of business in Israel. In 2002, they separated their assets, with Samy transferring all of his assets in real estate to his brother and Yuli doing the same with his equity in the Israel Corporation.
