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.
Third-Generation Chairwoman, Fortune's Most Powerful Women, and the Architect of Strauss-Elite
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. Under her leadership, the 2004 merger of Strauss and Elite created Israel's dominant food-and-beverage conglomerate.
Fortune ranked her among the 50 Most Powerful Women in Business (42nd and 47th, 2003–2008). The Financial Times ranked her 12th and 16th among the top 50 women in world business (2009–2010).
The Strauss Dynasty: Three Generations
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. The "strawberry delicacy" became famous across northern Israel. Richard began selling it commercially. The British High Commissioner awarded the Strauss family first prize for their dairy products.
From that dairy farm, the Strauss family built what became Strauss Group — spanning dairy, coffee, snacks, water, and consumer health, with approximately 15,000 employees and operations in 20+ countries.
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. She would join her father on night delivery routes, carrying 20-kilogram containers of dairy products.
Education and Pre-Strauss Career
Ofra studied law at Tel Aviv University, graduating in 1987. She then worked as a regional manager at Estée 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. Michael groomed her for the chairmanship. She assumed the role in 2001 when Michael formally retired (though he remained involved in the business).
The Strauss-Elite Merger: 2004
Ofra'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; the formal merger under Ofra's leadership created Strauss-Elite Group, which listed on the TASE 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. The Max Brenner chocolate café chain launched under Ofra's tenure.
Public Positions
Beyond Strauss Group, Ofra 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 – Jewish-Arab Businesswomen's Association, and member of the boards of the Jewish Agency for Israel. She created the Catalyst Index in Israel, promoting corporate responsibility benchmarks.
Family
Ofra has four children: Michaela (photographer), Tom (co-founder of design startup Tailor Brands), Jasmine, and Daniel. She has a younger sister Irit and a younger brother Adi (businessman, founder of "Adi's lifestyle").
Key Facts
Born: August 22, 1960 · Nahariya (נהריה), Israel
Position: Chairwoman, Strauss Group (TASE: STRS) — since 2001
Education: Tel Aviv University, Faculty of Law (1987)
Pre-Strauss: Regional manager, Estée 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–47th, 2003–2008) · 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/chair)