Stef Wertheimer is the wealthiest Israeli, with a net worth of $6.2 billion, according to Forbes magazine’s annual ranking of the wealthiest billionaires in the world.
Some 21 Israelis made this year’s list. The net worth of Wertheimer, who sold Iscar to Warren Buffet for more than $6b., remained the same since last year, but he fell to No. 432 from No. 248 in the global list, as 493 new billionaires joined this year’s list.
Overall, Forbes said there are a record-breaking 2,755 billionaires so far in the world in 2021. Their combined assets have grown by more than $5 trillion over the past year, with 86% of them wealthier than a year ago despite the global economic crisis, the business magazine said.
In the No. 2 spot in Israel is a tie between Playtech founder Teddy Sagi and Australian shopping-mall mogul Frank Lowy, who retired to Israel in 2019, with $5.2b. each. Philanthropist Shari Arison, who inherited the Carnival Cruise fortune from her father, came in 4th at $4.4b., and movie producer Arnon Milchan placed 5th with $3.4b.
Next on the list are Check Point cofounder Gil Shwed ($3b.), energy magnate Yitzhak Tshuva ($2.7b.), and Coca-Cola Israel owner David Wertheim ($2.4b.).
Rounding out the top ten are Michael Federmann ($2.1b.), whose family-owned holding company controls Dan Hotels and Elbit Systems, and Colmobil owner Shmuel Harlap ($1.9b.), who invested $10,000 in Mobileye in 2001, and received more than $1b. when the company was acquired in 2017.
Continuing down the list, Shalom Meckenzie, the controlling shareholder of sports-betting firm DraftKings, has $1.7b., Check Point cofounder Marius Nacht has $1.5b., pharmaceutical business holder Mori Arkin has $1.4b., Mobileye cofounder Zvi Aviram has $1.4b., First International Bank of Israel owner Zadik Bino has $1.4b., Mobileye and Orcam cofounder Amnon Shashua has $1.4b., diamond and copper mining magnate Dan Gertler has $1.2b., Azrieli Group heiress Danna Azrieli has $1.1b. and Amdocs cofounder Morris Kahn has $1b.
It should be noted that the Ofer brothers – Eyal and Idan – once Israel’s wealthiest people, are no longer listed as Israelis by Forbes. Eyal, with $11.1b., now resides in Monaco, and Idan, with $6.1b., is a UK resident. However, their niece, Liora Ofer, was listed as an Israeli with a $1.2b. fortune.
Other billionaires with Israeli citizenship include Chelsea F.C. owner Roman Abramovich (Russia) with $14.5b. and Hot owner Patrick Drahi (Switzerland) with $11.8b.
Globally, Jeff Bezos ranked as the wealthiest person in the world with a net worth of $177b., followed by Elon Musk ($151b.), Bernard Arnault ($150b.), Bill Gates ($124b.) and Mark Zuckerberg ($97b.).