Israeli businessman Motti Zisser, 60, died this morning in Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer after succumbing to cancer. Over the years, he has been a major player in Israel's business community, and was best known as the former controlling shareholder of real estate company Elbit Imaging Ltd. (Nasdaq: EMITF; TASE: EMIT) and he also privately owned Europe-Israel. He is survived by his wife Dr. Bracha Zisser and five children.
Zisser was first diagnosed with cancer back in 1994 but he recovered and built a hugely successful business. He and his wife founded a bone marrow bank to which he donated $20 million of his own money.
After many successful years in business, Elbit Imaging found itself in dire financial straits in 2013, and Zisser was forced to negotiate a NIS 2.5 billion debt settlement the largest debt settlement in Israel's history. NIS 1.8 billion of the debt was written off - a 70% haircut and Zisser was forced to relinquish control of Elbit Imaging. To make matters worse, his house in Petah Tikva was foreclosed by Bank Hapoalim (TASE: POLI) to pay NIS 16 million in personal debt.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on June 23, 2016
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