Ofra Strauss: born 1960 in Nahariya. Third-generation chairwoman of Strauss Group since 2001. Architect of the Strauss-Elite merger. Fortune's Most Powerful Women. Tel Aviv University law graduate.
Ofra Strauss has chaired Strauss Group since 2001, becoming the third generation of her family to lead the company after her father Michael Strauss and grandparents Richard and Hilde Strauss. Her defining move was the 2004 merger of Strauss and Elite, which created Israel's dominant food and beverage conglomerate, and Fortune and the Financial Times have both ranked her among the world's most powerful women in business.
Who Is Ofra Strauss?
Ofra Strauss (עפרה שטראוס, born August 22, 1960, in Nahariya) is the chairwoman of Strauss Group (TASE: STRS), Israel's second-largest food company, and the third-generation leader of the Strauss family business. She has held the position since 2001, succeeding her father Michael Strauss. Fortune ranked her among the 50 Most Powerful Women in Business (42nd and 47th, 2003 to 2008), and the Financial Times ranked her 12th and 16th among the top 50 women in world business (2009 to 2010).
How Did the Strauss Family Business Begin?
The family business begins with Dr. Richard and Hilde Strauss, German Jewish immigrants who arrived in Nahariya in 1939 with their son Michael. Hilde started making whipped cream from leftover milk and adding it to strawberries picked near their home, and the "strawberry delicacy" became famous across northern Israel. The British High Commissioner awarded the Strauss family first prize for their dairy products, and from that dairy farm the family built what became Strauss Group, spanning dairy, coffee, snacks, water, and consumer health, with approximately 15,000 employees in 20+ countries today.
Michael Strauss, the founders' son, served as chairman for decades, professionalizing the operation and expanding it beyond dairy. His daughter Ofra was the eldest of three children. Her mother Ella, a nurse and Holocaust survivor from Yugoslavia, and Michael raised Ofra in Nahariya, where she grew up inside the business, joining her father on night delivery routes and carrying 20-kilogram containers of dairy products.
What Was Ofra Strauss's Career Before Joining Strauss?
Ofra Strauss studied law at Tel Aviv University, graduating in 1987. She then worked as a regional manager at Estee Lauder in New York, gaining experience in global consumer brands before returning to Israel. In 1989, she joined Strauss Group and held a variety of positions across the company while Michael groomed her for the chairmanship. She assumed the role in 2001 when Michael formally retired, though he remained involved in the business.
What Was Ofra Strauss's Role in the Strauss-Elite Merger?
Ofra Strauss's defining corporate move was the 2004 formal merger of Strauss and Elite, combining Strauss's dairy, ice cream and coffee operations with Elite's chocolate, confectionery, instant coffee and salty-snack portfolio. Strauss had acquired control of Elite in 1997, and the formal merger under Ofra's leadership created Strauss-Elite Group, which listed on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange in March 2004.
The merged company expanded into Brazil (via Três Corações), Eastern Europe, and the United States (via the Sabra hummus joint venture with PepsiCo). Danone held 20% of the group through the transition, and the Max Brenner chocolate cafe chain launched under Ofra's tenure.
What Public Roles Does Ofra Strauss Hold?
Beyond Strauss Group, Ofra Strauss holds significant public roles: chair of the Israel-America Chamber of Commerce since 2011, founder and former chair of Maala, Business for Social Responsibility, president of Jasmine, the Jewish-Arab Businesswomen's Association, and a member of the boards of the Jewish Agency for Israel. She created the Catalyst Index in Israel, which promotes corporate responsibility benchmarks.
Who Is in Ofra Strauss's Family?
Ofra Strauss has four children: Michaela, a photographer; Tom, co-founder of the design startup Tailor Brands; Jasmine; and Daniel. She has a younger sister, Irit, and a younger brother, Adi, a businessman who founded "Adi's lifestyle."
Key Facts
- Born: August 22, 1960, Nahariya, Israel
- Position: Chairwoman, Strauss Group (TASE: STRS), since 2001
- Education: Tel Aviv University, Faculty of Law (1987)
- Pre-Strauss career: regional manager, Estee Lauder, New York
- Joined Strauss: 1989
- Father: Michael Strauss, former chairman
- Grandparents: Dr. Richard and Hilde Strauss, founders, Nahariya, 1939
- Key achievement: Strauss-Elite merger (2004)
- Rankings: Fortune Most Powerful Women (42nd to 47th, 2003 to 2008), FT Top 50 Women in Business (12th, 2009)
- Public roles: Israel-America Chamber of Commerce (chair), Jasmine Jewish-Arab Businesswomen's Association (president), Maala (founder and former chair)
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Ofra Strauss become chairwoman of Strauss Group?
Ofra Strauss became chairwoman in 2001, succeeding her father Michael Strauss, who had led the company for decades.
What did Ofra Strauss do before joining Strauss Group?
She studied law at Tel Aviv University, graduating in 1987, then worked as a regional manager at Estee Lauder in New York before joining Strauss Group in 1989.
What is Ofra Strauss's biggest achievement at Strauss Group?
The 2004 merger of Strauss and Elite, which combined the two companies' dairy, coffee, and confectionery businesses into what is now Strauss Group (TASE: STRS), Israel's dominant food and beverage conglomerate.
Is Ofra Strauss related to the founders of Strauss Group?
Yes. Ofra Strauss is the granddaughter of founders Dr. Richard and Hilde Strauss and the daughter of former chairman Michael Strauss, making her the third generation to lead the company.
See also: The Strauss Family, Strauss Group, and Strauss Coffee.
