“Forbes’ Magazine” ranks Stef Werthimer as Israel’s wealthiest man, with an estimated fortune of $4.4 billion, and ranks him 10th in the magazine’s list of the 20 wealthiest persons in the Middle East.
Among the Israelis on the list, Wertheimer is followed by Shari Arison, the controlling shareholder in Bank Hapoalim (LSE: BKHD; TASE: POLI), with a fortune of $4.3 billion; Lev Leviev, the chairman of Africa-Israel Investments Ltd. (TASE:AFIL; Pink Sheets:AFIVY.PK), with a fortune of $4.1 billion; Yitzhak Tshuva, the controlling shareholder in Delek Group Ltd. (TASE: DLEKG), with a fortune of $4 billion; Sammy and Idan Ofer, the controlling shareholders in Israel Corp. (TASE: ILCO), with $3.9 billion; and Arnon Milchen, the owner of movie production company Regency Enterprises, which owns 24.5% of Israeli TV channel Israel 10, with a fortune of $3 billion.
Shari Arison is the only woman on the list.
Arison is ranked 11th on the Forbes’ list, Leviev is ranked 12th, Tshuva 13th, Sammy and Idan Ofer 14th, and Milchan is 20th.
Saudi Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud is the richest man in the Middle East, with a fortune of $20.3 billion. The 20 richest people in the Middle East had an aggregate net worth of $123 billion in March 2007, up 10% on a year earlier, and accounted for 64% of the total capital of the region’s 65 billionaires. The top 20 list included billionaires from six countries. Interestingly, the wealth of the eight richest men on the list is not solely derived from oil, but also from diversified holdings in various countries.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on September 30, 2007
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2007