13 Israelis are ranked in "Forbes" annual list of global billionaires. The Israeli listed in first place in "Forbes" list of billionaires is Idan Ofer (161st place) (following the death of his father Sammy) with estimated wealth of $6.2 billion.
The Ofers built their fortune on shipping and chemicals, through Israel Corporation (TASE: ILCO), which did not have a good year in 2011. Flagship company Israel Chemicals Ltd. (TASE: ICL) lost momentum and Zim Integrated Shipping Services Ltd. lurched from crisis to crisis.
Nevertheless, Idan Ofer did have some successes during the year including the Wall Street IPO of Pacific Drilling with a market cap of $2.2 billion and raising money for electric vehicle infrastructure developer Better Place LLC, his ambitious partnership with Shai Agassi.
In second place on the list of Israeli billionaires is mining magnate Beny Steinmetz with $5.9 billion who is also planning public offerings. Steinmetz who knew better days in years gone by has made something of a comeback. Two years ago he sold core control of an iron mine in Guinea for $2.5 billion and this year he is planning a public offering on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange of the largest diamond mine in Sierra Leone at a value of $2-3 billion.
In third place on the "Forbes" list is Eyal Ofer, Idan's brother, with $5.8 billion who has made most of his money from real estate in the UK and US.
Eitan Wertheimer, the son of Iscar Ltd. founder Stef has $4.2 billion and Bank Hapoalim (TASE: POLI) controlling shareholder Shari Arison has $3.9 billion. Other Israelis on the list include Playtech Cyprus Ltd. (AIM:PTEC) founder Teddy Sagi, Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. (Nasdaq: CHKP) CEO Gil Schwed, Delek Group Ltd. (TASE: DLEKG) controlling shareholder Yitzhak Tshuva and Africa-Israel Investments Ltd. (TASE:AFIL) chairman Lev Leviev.
However, following an investigation by "Globes," it seems that "Forbes' has missed three Israeli billionaires including David Azrieli who is worth at lest $2 billion and Shaul Shani who earned $1.5 billion just from the sale of GVT. Mori Arkin has earned wealth of at least $1 billion from the rise in the value of Perrigo Company (Nasdaq:PRGO; TASE:PRGO).
Published by Globes, Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on March 8, 2012
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