Haim Saban

Haim Saban
Born	(1944-10-15) October 15, 1944 Alexandria, Egypt
Occupation(s)	Entrepreneur, investor, composer, producer
Years active	1966–present
Known for	Founder of Saban Entertainment; creator of Power Rangers; media investments including ProSiebenSat.1 and Univision Communications
Notable work	Power Rangers, Kidd Video, Maple Town, Inspector Gadget (music)

Haim Saban (; ; born October 15, 1944) is an Israeli-American entrepreneur in media, an investor, and a composer and producer of music, film, and television content. His business ventures cover sectors including entertainment, media, and financial services. With an estimated fortune of $2.8 billion, he ranks as the 232nd wealthiest individual in the United States according to Forbes.

Saban is the founder of Saban Entertainment, a company recognized for creating and distributing American children's shows such as Power Rangers. He has led investment groups that acquired major broadcasters like ProSiebenSat.1 Media and Univision Communications. As a prominent contributor to the United States Democratic Party, he is also heavily involved in pro-Israel political efforts within the country. In March 2017, Saban was honored with the 2,605th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his television industry achievements.

Early and personal life

Born into an Egyptian-Jewish family in Alexandria, Egypt, Haim Saban's family emigrated to Israel in 1956 alongside much of the Egyptian Jewish population. He attended a boarding school under Youth Aliyah but was expelled; subsequently, he enrolled in night high school where he was advised that his talents were suited for business success. He later served in the Israel Defense Forces.

Saban is married to Cheryl Lynn (Flor) Saban and together they have two children. He also has two stepchildren, one of whom is actress Heidi Lenhart. The family resides in Beverly Hills, California.

Music career

Saban’s entry into music began in 1966 when he became the bass guitarist and manager for the rock group The Lions of Judah (Ha'arayot). Although initially inexperienced with bass guitar, he secured the position by negotiating that he would arrange their gigs. In 1969, the band relocated to England where they performed at London nightclubs, signed with Polydor Records, and appeared on BBC's Colour Me Pop. Due to financial difficulties preventing their single’s release in the UK, they returned to Israel, where Saban transitioned into music promotion.

After facing financial strain during the Yom Kippur War, Saban discovered singer Noam Kaniel and produced his music in Paris, including the theme song for Goldorak, the French adaptation of UFO Robot Grendizer. This opportunity marked Saban’s entry into composing music for American animated series.

Upon moving to the United States in 1983, he collaborated with Shuki Levy to create soundtracks for numerous children’s television programs throughout the 1980s. Their work included original productions like Kidd Video and Maple Town, as well as scoring for shows such as Inspector Gadget, The Mysterious Cities of Gold, M.A.S.K., He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, and She-Ra: Princess of Power.

By 1998, Saban was credited with composing more than 3,700 musical pieces; however, it was noted that he did not personally write all of them. A group of ten composers threatened legal action over royalty disputes, which was eventually resolved out of court without significant financial consequences.

Saban Entertainment

In 1988, he established Saban Entertainment, which rose to prominence during the 1990s by creating Western versions of Japanese tokusatsu series. Notable productions included Power Rangers, Masked Rider, VR Troopers, and Big Bad Beetleborgs.

Fox Family

In 1996, Fox Children's Network, part of News Corporation, merged with Saban Entertainment to form Fox Kids Worldwide. That year, the company also acquired the C&D library from Jean Chalopin.

As children's programming transitioned from broadcast blocks to cable networks such as Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon, Fox Kids Worldwide—partially owned by Saban—sought to strengthen its position by purchasing The Family Channel. In 1997, through Fox Kids Worldwide, News Corporation completed the acquisition of International Family Entertainment.

On July 23, 2001, an agreement was reached between Saban and News Corporation to sell Fox Family Worldwide Inc. to The Walt Disney Company for $5.3 billion. The transaction finalized on October 24, 2001, leading to the rebranding of the network as ABC Family. Saban's earnings from this deal were estimated at around $1.6 billion.

ProSiebenSat.1

In August 2003, Saban spearheaded a group that acquired a controlling interest in the financially troubled ProSiebenSat.1 Media from the bankrupt Kirch Media Group. ProSiebenSat.1 stands as Germany’s largest commercial TV broadcaster, operating five channels including ProSieben and SAT.1, two of the country’s top three stations. At that time, these channels represented approximately 45% of Germany's television advertising revenue. This purchase marked a historic moment as it was the first instance of a foreign individual gaining control over a major German media entity.

Saban orchestrated a successful revitalization by bringing on former competitors like ex-BSkyB CEO Tony Ball and former BBC Director-General Greg Dyke onto the board. In March 2007, Saban Capital Group and its partners divested their majority stake to KKR and Permira at a price of 22.40 euros per share, having initially acquired shares at 7.5 euros each in 2003.

Univision

On June 27, 2006, Saban Capital Group led a consortium bidding for ownership of Univision Communications, recognized as the leading Spanish-language media company in the United States. Other participants in this group included Texas Pacific Group and Thomas H. Lee Partners. The consortium successfully purchased Univision for $13.7 billion but later sold it in 2020 to private equity firm Searchlight Capital Partners along with Wade Davis, former finance chief at Viacom.

Saban Music Group

In 2019, Saban initiated the Saban Music Group with an investment of $500 million from his personal funds. This enterprise concentrates on nurturing global musical talent, especially within Latin America, by both developing emerging artists and acquiring existing music ventures.

Views and opinions

A longstanding advocate for Jewish and pro-Israel initiatives, Saban has emphasized that his primary concern is Israel’s welfare. His political engagement began in the mid-1990s due to apprehensions over waning U.S. support for Israel. Over time, his stance on security issues shifted markedly toward conservative positions.

Saban is a significant contributor to the U.S. Democratic Party; in 1998 he ranked as the 155th largest individual donor and by 2000 had climbed to fifth place with donations surpassing $1.25 million. Between 2001 and 2002, he gave more than $10 million to the Democratic National Committee—the largest single donor amount at that period. He also served on President Clinton’s Export Council and maintains a close relationship with Clinton, donating between $5 million and $10 million to the Clinton Foundation.

He backed Hillary Clinton’s presidential bids in both 2008 and 2016, contributing $7 million to a Super PAC supporting her campaign during the latter election cycle. Additionally, Saban co-hosted an exclusive fundraiser alongside Steven Spielberg that generated over $850,000 for Clinton’s campaign efforts. His political contributions extend beyond Democrats; he has supported Republican candidates including George W. Bush’s 2004 presidential run.

Saban has openly criticized individuals he perceives as anti-Israel figures such as Keith Ellison and Bernie Sanders. Regarding Middle Eastern security concerns, he has vocally opposed Iran’s nuclear program, comparing Ahmadinejad to Hitler and advocating for firm measures if necessary.

In California politics, Saban has been active on redistricting matters: opposing Proposition 77 in 2005 with a $100,000 donation while supporting Proposition 11 in 2008 with another $100,000 contribution; in 2010 he invested $2 million toward Proposition 27 aimed at repealing Proposition 11.

In 2020, Saban partnered with UAE Ambassador Yousef Al Otaiba on an op-ed designed to prevent Israel’s annexation plans in the West Bank and promote unity against Iran’s influence. This collaboration helped lay groundwork for the Abraham Accords that normalized diplomatic relations between Israel and the UAE.

Philanthropy

In 2007, Saban contributed $14 million to finalize the construction of the children's hospital at Soroka Medical Center.

Saban Center for Middle East Policy

In 2002, Saban made an initial donation of US$13 million and committed further funding to create the Saban Center for Middle East Policy, a foreign policy research institute housed within the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C. This center provides in-depth policy evaluations concerning U.S. strategy in the Middle East and was established under the guidance of Martin Indyk.

Saban National Political Leadership Training Seminar

Saban supports the AIPAC's Saban National Political Leadership Training Seminar, which occurs twice yearly in Washington. These intensive three-day programs educate up to 300 university activists in pro-Israel advocacy skills, equipping them for political and legislative involvement. Distinguished speakers have included Senator Evan Bayh, Congressman Mark Kirk, as well as experts David Makovsky, Robert Satloff, and Dennis Ross.

Further reading

• Sorkin, Andrew. "Schlepping to Moguldom." The New York Times. September 5, 2004.
• Shavit, Ari. "You made it big, you jerk!." Haaretz. September 12, 2006.
• Wallace, Amy "Haim Saban, Power Ranger." Portfolio Magazine. August 13, 2008.
• Daunt, Tina "Haim Saban, friend to Israel and Democrats." Los Angeles Times. April 22, 2009.
• Bruck, Connie "The Influencer: An entertainment mogul sets his sights on foreign policy." The New Yorker. May 10, 2010.

External links

• Haim Saban at Saban Capital Group