Eyal Ofer
Israeli businessman; chairman of the Monaco-based Ofer Global, with interests in shipping (Zodiac), real estate, banking and technology
| Eyal Ofer
| |
|---|---|
| Born | 2 6 1950 (age 76 years old (as of 2026)
) (Forbes) |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Known for | Chairman of Ofer Global; Zodiac shipping group; controlling shareholder of Mizrahi Tefahot Bank |
| Children | 4 (Forbes) |
Eyal Ofer (born 1950) is an Israeli businessman, the elder son of the shipowner Sammy Ofer. He chairs Ofer Global, a Monaco-based private group whose businesses include the shipping company Zodiac, the real estate firm Global Holdings and other investments.[1][2] He is one of the controlling shareholders of Israel's Mizrahi Tefahot Bank.[3][4] On 20 October 2026 the Forbes Real-Time Billionaires list ranked Eyal Ofer 65th in the world, with an estimated net worth of US$35.9 billion; Forbes lists the source of wealth as Real estate, shipping.[2][5] In the annual World's Billionaires list published in 2026, Forbes had ranked Eyal Ofer 62nd, at US$33.6 billion.[6]
Family and early career
Ofer Global says the business grew out of the shipping company founded by Sammy Ofer KBE (1922–2011), who named his first cargo ship after his eldest son, Eyal. It says Eyal joined in the early 1970s and led its expansion into real estate, cruise lines, hotels and banking. The family planned the succession for years before Sammy's death in June 2011, and Eyal and his brother Idan Ofer now run separate business groups.[1] Forbes records his date of birth as 2 June 1950. It says Sammy Ofer was once Israel's richest man, and that the brothers divided his art collection.[2]
Ofer Global
Ofer Global describes itself as a multi-generational private portfolio active in shipping, real estate and hotels, technology, banking, energy and large public investments, with interests in Europe, North America, Australasia, the Near East and Asia.[7] According to Forbes, its Zodiac Group owns and operates about 200 ships. Forbes says the Global Holdings real estate portfolio has some 120 properties, including 15 Central Park West and 50 United Nations Plaza in Manhattan and Vogue House in London. It lists his other assets as the venture fund O.G. Venture Partners, O.G. Energy, and stakes in Mizrahi Tefahot Bank and Royal Caribbean Cruises. Forbes adds that all four of his children work in Ofer Global businesses.[2]
Zodiac's UK operating company, Zodiac Maritime Limited, was incorporated in 1976. The UK register shows a single person with significant control, Markus Heeb, notified on 20 October 2025. He holds 75% or more of the shares and voting rights "with control over the trustees of a trust", replacing Marshall Eisenberg, who held the same position from 2016 to 2025. The register does not name the trust's beneficiaries.[8] Daniel Ofer has been a director since 31 March 2011.[9]
Mizrahi Tefahot Bank
Globes reported in June 2026 that the bank's controlling shareholders, Eyal Ofer and the siblings Dudi and Drorit Wertheim, had bought about NIS 100 million of shares as the price fell. This raised Ofer's holding to 20.97%.[3] In August 2026 Globes reported that the bank would pay a NIS 714 million dividend, of which each controlling party, holding about 21%, would receive about NIS 150 million.[4]
MSC Aries seizure
Citing Euronews, Globes reported in October 2025 that Iranian authorities were demanding US$170 million to release the container ship MSC Aries. Iran's Revolutionary Guards had seized the ship near the Strait of Hormuz on 13 April 2024 with 25 crew, who were freed after about two weeks. The report said the ship was indirectly owned by Zodiac and chartered long-term by MSC. It said Iran's prosecutor named Eyal Ofer as responsible for payment, and accused his company of involvement in terrorist financing and of supporting the Israeli navy. These are Iranian allegations as reported, not established facts.[10]
Philanthropy
The Eyal & Marilyn Ofer Family Foundation supports education, healthcare and the arts, particularly in the UK, Israel and the United States.[11] In July 2013 Tate announced a £10 million gift from the Eyal Ofer Family Foundation towards the Tate Modern extension, in recognition of which galleries were named the Eyal Ofer Galleries. Tate noted that he had also supported the Royal Row Barge Gloriana for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.[12]
Wealth
Forbes gives real estate and shipping as the sources of his wealth.[2]
Wealth history
Forbes has included this entry in its annual World's Billionaires list in 15 of the editions from 2001 to 2026 checked for this profile, starting with 2012. The table gives the rank and estimated net worth in each annual list.[6][2]
| Year | World's Billionaires rank | Net worth (US$ bn) |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 173 | 5.8 |
| 2013 | 198 | 6.0 |
| 2014 | 191 | 7.0 |
| 2015 | 156 | 8.5 |
| 2016 | 135 | 8.4 |
| 2017 | 145 | 8.9 |
| 2018 | 162 | 9.4 |
| 2019 | 149 | 9.4 |
| 2020 | 193 | 7.5 |
| 2021 | 197 | 11.1 |
| 2022 | 117 | 15.4 |
| 2023 | 86 | 18.9 |
| 2024 | 84 | 24.0 |
| 2025 | 68 | 28.2 |
| 2026 | 62 | 33.6 |
Political activity
No political donations, offices or lobbying registrations were found for Ofer in the sources checked.
International and political links
This section uses the same ten headings for every profile in this series. Only specific, sourced actions are included; company-level and foundation-level actions are labelled as such. Where nothing was found, the entry reads "No documented involvement found in sources checked."
Israel (investments, operations, donations, contracts, statements)
He is a controlling shareholder of Israel's Mizrahi Tefahot Bank.[3][4] His family foundation gives particularly in Israel, the UK and the US.[11]
Zionist or pro-Israel organisations and lobbying groups
No documented involvement found in sources checked.
Jewish communal charities
No documented involvement found in sources checked.
Gulf states
Iran seized the Zodiac-linked ship MSC Aries in the Gulf region in April 2024. In 2025 it demanded US$170 million, naming Ofer (as reported by Globes, citing Euronews).[10]
China
No documented involvement found in sources checked.
Russia
No documented involvement found in sources checked.
India
No documented involvement found in sources checked.
Palestinian or Arab causes
No documented involvement found in sources checked.
Home government
Forbes gives his residence as Monaco, where Ofer Global is based.[2]
Other international links
He is a major UK cultural donor (Tate Modern), and Zodiac's UK company is controlled through a trust.[12][8]
See also
External links
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Ofer Global, Our History Ofer Global, accessed 20 October 2026, accessed 20 October 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Forbes, Forbes profile record for Eyal Ofer (Forbes data feed behind forbes.com/profile/eyal-ofer/) Forbes, live record, read 20 October 2026, accessed 20 October 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 חזי שטרנליכט (Hezi Sternlicht), מניות הבנקים נופלות? בעלי השליטה בבנק הזה הזדרזו לקנות מניות ב-100 מיליון שקל (Bank shares falling? This bank's controlling shareholders rushed to buy NIS 100m of shares) גלובס (Globes), 4 June 2026, accessed 20 October 2026.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 חזי שטרנליכט (Hezi Sternlicht), הרווח הנקי של מזרחי טפחות ללא שינוי; בעלי השליטה יקבלו 300 מיליון שקל (Mizrahi Tefahot net profit unchanged; controlling shareholders to receive NIS 300m) גלובס (Globes), 17 August 2026, accessed 20 October 2026.
- ↑ Forbes, Forbes Real-Time Billionaires data feed Forbes, live; downloaded 20 October 2026 11:51 UTC, accessed 20 October 2026.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Forbes, Forbes World's Billionaires list data feed, annual editions 2001–2026 (one file per year at this path with the year substituted; all 26 files downloaded and read) Forbes, annual lists; downloaded 20 October 2026, accessed 20 October 2026.
- ↑ Ofer Global, The Group Ofer Global, accessed 20 October 2026, accessed 20 October 2026.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Companies House, ZODIAC MARITIME LIMITED (01240802) – persons with significant control Companies House (UK register of companies), accessed 20 October 2026, accessed 20 October 2026.
- ↑ Companies House, ZODIAC MARITIME LIMITED (01240802) – officers Companies House (UK register of companies), accessed 20 October 2026, accessed 20 October 2026.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 אסף אוני (Assaf Uni), איראן דורשת מאייל עופר: כופר של 170 מיליון דולר לשחרור ספינה (Iran demands a US$170m ransom from Eyal Ofer to release a ship) גלובס (Globes), 30 October 2025, accessed 20 October 2026.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Ofer Global, Eyal & Marilyn Ofer Family Foundation Ofer Global, accessed 20 October 2026, accessed 20 October 2026.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Tate, Eyal Ofer Family Foundation gives £10 million towards Tate Modern’s new development Tate (press release), 2 July 2013, accessed 20 October 2026.