Eyal Ofer

Eyal Ofer
Born	(1950-06-02) June 2, 1950 Haifa, Israel
Occupation(s)	Businessman, philanthropist, art enthusiast
Years active	1980s–present
Known for	Chairman of Ofer Global, Zodiac Group, and Global Holdings

Eyal Ofer (; born 2 June 1950) is an Israeli billionaire, philanthropist, and art enthusiast residing in Monaco. His business ventures span real estate, energy, technology, and maritime sectors. He holds the position of chairman at Ofer Global, the Zodiac Group, and Global Holdings.

Early life and education

Ofer was born in 1950 in Haifa, Israel, as the son of Sammy Ofer, a Romanian-born Israeli shipping tycoon who was once the wealthiest individual in Israel. He completed his education at Atlantic College, one of the United World Colleges located in Wales. During his teenage years, he gained practical experience by working summers aboard his family’s ships, assisting with cargo handling and vessel maintenance at various international ports.

Between 1967 and 1973, Ofer served as an intelligence officer in the Israeli Air Force. Following his military service, he pursued studies in Maritime Law at the University of London.

Career

Eyal Ofer’s commercial pursuits are distinct from those of his brother Idan Ofer and concentrate on shipping, cruise operations, and international real estate through the Monaco-based Ofer Global group. This entity invests across multiple sectors including shipping, real estate, oil and gas, banking, and other investments throughout Europe, North America, the Near East, and Asia.

In recognition of his impact on maritime commerce both in the UK and globally, he was honored with a lifetime membership by the Baltic Exchange in London in 2014. This accolade places him among esteemed figures such as the Duke of Edinburgh and Maersk Mc-Kinney.

Lloyd’s List has acknowledged him as “one of the most influential shipowners” worldwide. Since 2013, he has consistently appeared within their top 100 influential industry leaders, achieving ranks as high as tenth place in 2016 and seventh place in 2014, 2021, and 2022.

Ofer has been a featured speaker at prominent forums including the Milken Institute Global Conference (in 2012, 2013, and 2015) and is a regular attendee at the World Economic Forum’s annual Davos meeting. In 2018, he became a member of the Advisory Board for the Bloomberg New Economy Forum—a platform uniting leaders from sectors such as business, government, academia, and philanthropy.

As reported by the Bloomberg Billionaires Index in November 2024, his net worth stands at approximately US$26.5 billion.

Real estate

Relocating to New York City in 1980 to grow his family’s real estate ventures, Ofer invested in properties along Park Avenue South primarily leased to law firms and public relations agencies through Global Holdings. Over time, he expanded this into a substantial real estate portfolio by applying his expertise in asset management.

As chairman of Global Holdings—a privately held real estate company—Ofer concentrates on large-scale commercial projects alongside luxury residential developments. The company owns prime commercial buildings within Manhattan and maintains a controlling interest in Miller Global Properties, a significant real estate investment fund focused on major markets across North America and Europe. He also serves as co-chairman of Miller Global. Among notable commercial properties is 120 Park Avenue, formerly serving as Altria Group’s headquarters.

Global Holdings’ residential assets include 15 Central Park West—hailed as one of the world’s most prestigious and financially successful apartment buildings—with sales totaling around $2 billion. This development was extensively covered in Michael Gross's 2014 book House of Outrageous Fortune: Fifteen Central Park West, the World's Most Powerful Address.

Other key projects encompass The Greenwich Lane (in collaboration with the Rudin family), along with redevelopment initiatives at 18 Gramercy Park South, 520 Park Avenue, and 50 United Nations Plaza—all undertaken with Zeckendorf Development. Notably, 18 Gramercy Park South was Manhattan’s highest-priced development in 2013. Architect Robert A. M. Stern was responsible for designing both 15 Central Park West and 18 Gramercy Park South; meanwhile Foster and Partners from London designed the 44-story tower at 50 UN Plaza. Overall, Ofer’s holdings include more than 120 properties along with upwards of 1,500 hotel rooms.

Shipping

Ofer launched his career in the international maritime transport sector during the 1980s, gaining experience across key shipping industries.

He currently chairs Zodiac Group, a privately owned London-based company specializing in ship ownership and chartering, with a fleet surpassing 180 vessels. This makes it the largest operator by tonnage under the Red Ensign flag. Since May 1995, Ofer has held a directorship at Royal Caribbean Cruises, the world’s second-largest cruise line, where he maintains a substantial equity interest.

In 2022, Ofer was ranked seventh on the Lloyd’s List Top 100 Most Influential People in the Shipping Industry. Lloyd’s List commended his profound industry insight. He oversees one of the world’s largest private shipping fleets and ranks as the third-largest non-operating owner of containerships globally.

Energy

Ofer's energy investments are managed through O.G. Energy, focusing on power generation including renewable sources and green hydrogen. In 2022, O.G. Energy supported Belgium-based green hydrogen innovator Tree Energy Solutions (TES). His oil and gas portfolio is handled via O.G. Oil & Gas, which holds exploration and production assets across Southeast Asia and Australasia, notably a 70% controlling interest in New Zealand Oil & Gas (NZOG), acquired in 2017.

In October 2018, O.G. Energy secured a 40% ownership in Beach Energy’s Otway Basin assets located off Australia’s southeastern coastline. Additionally, Ofer founded OMNI Offshore Terminals in 1990 with headquarters in Singapore; it stands as the largest provider of floating production storage and offloading (FSO and FPSO) units for offshore oil and gas operations.

Technology

Through the limited partnership venture capital fund O.G. Venture Partners, which acts as Ofer Global’s technology investment division, Ofer channels capital into tech enterprises. The initial $150 million Fund I, initiated in 2017, targets early-stage companies with disruptive innovations, including SuperPlay—a mobile gaming firm acquired by Playtika in 2024 for $700 million. The fund’s total capacity may reach up to $1.25 billion based on performance within three years.

In 2022, at the launch of O.G. Venture Partners' $400 million Fund II, Ofer underscored technology’s pivotal influence on the global economy, continuing to prioritize investments in early-stage software ventures.

Arts

Among the world’s top 200 collectors of contemporary and modern art, Ofer inherited half of an extensive collection from his father that includes masterpieces by Vincent van Gogh and Pablo Picasso. He is a founding member of the Circle of Friends at Fondation Giacometti in Paris and serves as both trustee and permanent acquisitions committee member at New York’s Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).

His family foundation contributed £10 million in 2013 toward expanding London’s Tate Modern, leading to a gallery bearing his name. Additionally, he donated £1.5 million to the National Maritime Museum to help retain two George Stubbs paintings from the 18th century within the UK. In 2019, his foundation granted $5 million for renovating Tel Aviv Museum of Art’s Helena Rubinstein Pavilion for Contemporary Art, which reopened as the Eyal Ofer Pavilion in May 2023 featuring Israel’s first retrospective exhibition of Alberto Giacometti.

Philanthropy

Through the Eyal & Marilyn Ofer Family Foundation, Ofer continues his family's tradition of philanthropy by supporting a range of artistic, educational, and cultural organizations, including the Tate Modern, the National Maritime Museum in the United Kingdom, and the Tel Aviv Museum of Art. He holds the position of chairman within the Foundation.

Ofer contributed as a benefactor to the Gloriana for the 2012 Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II. In 2020, he funded the establishment of the Eyal Ofer Heart Hospital at the Rambam Health Care Campus, recognized as Israel’s leading cardiology center.

Personal life

Ofer is married to Marilyn Ofer, and together they have four children. Their primary residence is in Monte Carlo, Monaco. Back in 2008, they owned homes in west London as well as in Herzliya Pituah, near Tel Aviv. Additionally, Ofer possesses an apartment at 15 Central Park West, a Manhattan property development with which he was involved.