Difference between revisions of "Idan Ofer"
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| known_for = [[Israel Corporation]]; [[Quantum Pacific Group]]; reported client of [[Black Cube]] | | known_for = [[Israel Corporation]]; [[Quantum Pacific Group]]; reported client of [[Black Cube]] | ||
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| − | '''Idan Ofer''' (עידן עופר, born 2 October 1955) is an Israeli businessman in shipping, energy and mining, chairman of the [[Israel Corporation]] and principal of the [[Quantum Pacific Group]]. He is the son of [[Sammy Ofer]] and the brother of [[Eyal Ofer]]. His uncle was [[Yuli Ofer]]. A 2019 investigation by Channel 12’s ''Uvda'' reported that in 2014 he hired [[Black Cube]] | + | '''Idan Ofer''' (עידן עופר, born 2 October 1955) is an Israeli businessman in shipping, energy and mining, chairman of the [[Israel Corporation]] and principal of the [[Quantum Pacific Group]]. He is the son of [[Sammy Ofer]] and the brother of [[Eyal Ofer]]. His uncle was [[Yuli Ofer]]. A 2019 investigation by Channel 12’s ''Uvda'' reported that in 2014 he hired [[Black Cube]] in connection with a dispute over natural-resource taxation. ''Haaretz'' later named the client as ICL, controlled by Ofer, and said he acknowledged the hire. The firm denied carrying out the work.<ref name="TOI">[https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-tycoon-hired-black-cube-to-smear-yair-lapid-in-2014-report/ Israeli tycoon hired Black Cube to smear Yair Lapid in 2014 — report], ''Times of Israel'', 7 June 2019.</ref><ref name="HaaretzJun">[https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/business/2019-06-04/ty-article/.premium/israeli-tycoon-idan-ofer-accused-of-hiring-black-cube-to-spy-on-yair-lapid/0000017f-f5c8-d318-afff-f7eb1e1d0000 Israeli Tycoon Hired Spy Firm to Get Dirt on Finance Minister, Report Says], ''Haaretz'', 4 June 2019.</ref><ref name="HaaretzAug">Gur Megiddo, [https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2019-08-22/ty-article/.premium/for-black-cube-israeli-government-was-both-customer-and-target/0000017f-f2f0-d8a1-a5ff-f2fa360b0000 Israel Hired Black Cube, Allowing Spy Firm to Operate Out of Military Intel Base], ''Haaretz'', 22 August 2019.</ref> |
== Family and posts == | == Family and posts == | ||
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== The gas tax and Black Cube == | == The gas tax and Black Cube == | ||
| − | ''Uvda'' reported on 6 June 2019 that he had hired the firm in 2014 to dig up material on Lapid, then finance minister, and on other officials, in order to influence tax policy on natural-gas finds. Lapid had appointed an advisory panel to raise taxes on the profits of the resource companies after the offshore discoveries. The programme said the point was to smear Lapid and the arbitrators. ''Haaretz'' | + | ''Uvda'' reported on 6 June 2019 that he had hired the firm in 2014 to dig up material on [[Yair Lapid]], then finance minister, and on other officials, in order to influence tax policy on natural-gas finds. Lapid had appointed an advisory panel to raise taxes on the profits of the resource companies after the offshore discoveries. The programme said the point was to smear Lapid and the arbitrators. ''Haaretz'', covering the same broadcast, reported personal information on the officials who set the tax, gathered in order to influence an arbitration and to head off a rise that would cut the companies’ profits.<ref name="TOI"/><ref name="HaaretzJun"/> |
| − | + | In August 2019 ''Haaretz'' named the client as ICL, controlled by Ofer, which “was at odds with the government over how much it should pay for its mining operations”, and the targets as Lapid, the accountant general Michal Abadi-Boiangiu and the deputy attorney general Avi Licht. When the story broke, Black Cube denied being hired by Ofer, said it had never targeted politicians, judges or regulators, and sued the programme. Ofer acknowledged hiring the company. His spokesman confirmed a brief contract but said its material was not used. Sources close to Black Cube told ''Haaretz'' that the firm had drafted a proposal for him that “was never carried out”.<ref name="HaaretzAug"/><ref name="TOI"/> | |
| + | |||
| + | The reported job sits against later statements about political work. [[Efraim Halevi]] told American reporters in 2019 that Romania had been the only politically motivated client and that the firm no longer did such work. ''Intelligence Online'' later summarised him as saying the stop came in 2016. A 2014 hire by an Israeli businessman over natural-resource payments, if the ''Uvda'' and ''Haaretz'' accounts stand, sits outside that description. The firm’s denial and the “never carried out” line are on the record. So is the broadcast, Ofer’s acknowledgement, and his spokesman’s confirmation of a brief contract.<ref name="WSJ">Bradley Hope and Jacquie McNish, [https://www.wsj.com/articles/black-cube-the-bumbling-spies-of-the-private-mossad-11560793198 Black Cube: The Bumbling Spies of the ‘Private Mossad’], ''Wall Street Journal'', 18 June 2019.</ref><ref name="IO">Matt Bernardini and Michael Sweeney, [https://www.intelligenceonline.com/americas/2026/07/15/black-cube-business-and-politics-in-latin-america,110840945-art Black Cube, business and politics in Latin America], ''Intelligence Online'', 15 July 2026.</ref> | ||
== Affiliations == | == Affiliations == | ||
Revision as of 15:14, 19 October 2026
| Idan Ofer
| |
|---|---|
| Born | 2 October 1955 Haifa |
| Nationality | Israeli |
| Occupation | Shipping and energy businessman |
| Known for | Israel Corporation; Quantum Pacific Group; reported client of Black Cube |
Idan Ofer (עידן עופר, born 2 October 1955) is an Israeli businessman in shipping, energy and mining, chairman of the Israel Corporation and principal of the Quantum Pacific Group. He is the son of Sammy Ofer and the brother of Eyal Ofer. His uncle was Yuli Ofer. A 2019 investigation by Channel 12’s Uvda reported that in 2014 he hired Black Cube in connection with a dispute over natural-resource taxation. Haaretz later named the client as ICL, controlled by Ofer, and said he acknowledged the hire. The firm denied carrying out the work.[1][2][3]
Family and posts
He grew up in Haifa. He served in the Israeli Navy as deputy commander of a patrol boat. He took a degree in economics and shipping at the University of Haifa, and a master’s at the London Business School in the 1980s. The Israel Corporation biography says that since 1999 he has held a fellowship there, and that he spent fifteen years in Hong Kong, Singapore and the United States in shipping and offshore oil storage. He has been married four times. His wife from 2009 is Batia Ofer. He has six children.[4]
The same biography lists him as chairman of ZIM Integrated Shipping Services and of Better Place, and as a director of numerous Ofer group companies, with venture-capital and energy projects alongside. Better Place, the electric-car network, failed. He is the majority shareholder of the Israel Corporation, listed in Tel Aviv, and of Kenon Holdings, listed in Tel Aviv and New York. Quantum Pacific is the holding company. He has also held a stake in Atlético Madrid. He sits on the board of the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya, now Reichman University.[4]
The gas tax and Black Cube
Uvda reported on 6 June 2019 that he had hired the firm in 2014 to dig up material on Yair Lapid, then finance minister, and on other officials, in order to influence tax policy on natural-gas finds. Lapid had appointed an advisory panel to raise taxes on the profits of the resource companies after the offshore discoveries. The programme said the point was to smear Lapid and the arbitrators. Haaretz, covering the same broadcast, reported personal information on the officials who set the tax, gathered in order to influence an arbitration and to head off a rise that would cut the companies’ profits.[1][2]
In August 2019 Haaretz named the client as ICL, controlled by Ofer, which “was at odds with the government over how much it should pay for its mining operations”, and the targets as Lapid, the accountant general Michal Abadi-Boiangiu and the deputy attorney general Avi Licht. When the story broke, Black Cube denied being hired by Ofer, said it had never targeted politicians, judges or regulators, and sued the programme. Ofer acknowledged hiring the company. His spokesman confirmed a brief contract but said its material was not used. Sources close to Black Cube told Haaretz that the firm had drafted a proposal for him that “was never carried out”.[3][1]
The reported job sits against later statements about political work. Efraim Halevi told American reporters in 2019 that Romania had been the only politically motivated client and that the firm no longer did such work. Intelligence Online later summarised him as saying the stop came in 2016. A 2014 hire by an Israeli businessman over natural-resource payments, if the Uvda and Haaretz accounts stand, sits outside that description. The firm’s denial and the “never carried out” line are on the record. So is the broadcast, Ofer’s acknowledgement, and his spokesman’s confirmation of a brief contract.[5][6]
Affiliations
Israel Corporation | Quantum Pacific Group | Kenon Holdings | Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya | ZIM Integrated Shipping Services | Better Place | University of Haifa | London Business School | Black Cube
See also
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Israeli tycoon hired Black Cube to smear Yair Lapid in 2014 — report, Times of Israel, 7 June 2019.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Israeli Tycoon Hired Spy Firm to Get Dirt on Finance Minister, Report Says, Haaretz, 4 June 2019.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Gur Megiddo, Israel Hired Black Cube, Allowing Spy Firm to Operate Out of Military Intel Base, Haaretz, 22 August 2019.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Idan Ofer, Executive Officers, Israel Corporation, accessed 1 September 2009.
- ↑ Bradley Hope and Jacquie McNish, Black Cube: The Bumbling Spies of the ‘Private Mossad’, Wall Street Journal, 18 June 2019.
- ↑ Matt Bernardini and Michael Sweeney, Black Cube, business and politics in Latin America, Intelligence Online, 15 July 2026.