The Next Generation Taking Over Israel's Family Enterprises
The successors are running Israel's industrial dynasties. Azrieli, Ofer, Federmann, Strauss, Tshuva, Wertheimer — and the institutional patterns shaping family-office governance through the 2030s.
Most of the founders who built Israeli industry are no longer the operating principals. Their successors are running the structures, in several cases with material differences in philosophy and asset allocation. The decisions being made in this round of succession will define the institutional character of Israeli private capital through the 2030s.
Successions completed
The Azrieli generational handoff is the most institutionally executed. David Azrieli's children Danna, Naomi and Sharon Azrieli have anchored governance across both the publicly traded Azrieli Group and the Azrieli Foundation. Danna Azrieli holds the chair of the operating group; Naomi Azrieli leads the foundation work, much of it based in Canada. The structure separates philanthropic governance from operating governance cleanly.
The Ofer succession was structured during Sammy Ofer's lifetime, dividing the platform into two independent vehicles. Eyal Ofer runs Ofer Global from London and Monaco; Idan Ofer runs Quantum Pacific from Cyprus. The two offices operate entirely independently and have built distinct sector profiles.
The Federmann transition has progressed in stages. Michael Federmann moved into the controlling family role following the founding generation, and the next layer of family members is increasingly visible in board positions across Dan Hotels and the Elbit Systems shareholding.
The Strauss family has rotated chair and board roles across cousins and siblings while maintaining a unified ownership block. Ofra Strauss chaired the group through a critical period of international expansion.
Successions in progress
Several major platforms are mid-transition. The Tshuva platform is being progressively transferred to the next generation. The Wertheimer family, less visible by design, is in the second generation of governance with Eitan Wertheimer having held senior positions across the family's holdings.
The Saban platform is anchored on Haim and Cheryl Saban, with the next generation active in philanthropic and political organisations. The Bronfman platform is multi-generational by structure, with Charles Bronfman's children Stephen Bronfman and Ellen Bronfman Hauptman holding active governance roles. The Adelson succession transferred control to Miriam Adelson on Sheldon Adelson's 2021 death.
Patterns across the successions
Three patterns recur.
Education and operational experience abroad is the default. Most second-generation principals have spent meaningful time at American or European universities and often at investment banks, consulting firms or operating companies outside the family business before taking on senior family roles.
Formal governance is the second pattern. Family councils, written family constitutions, independent advisory boards and clear separation between owner and operator roles are now standard practice across the larger platforms. The model has converged toward the European and American single-family office templates.
Philanthropic infrastructure is the third pattern. The transfer of philanthropic governance to the next generation is treated as importantly as the transfer of operating governance, often with the next generation taking foundation roles before they take operating roles.
The pending transitions
The successions still ahead are the ones being watched most closely. Several first-generation technology founders, now in their fifties and sixties, are beginning the work of converting personal fortunes into multi-generational structures. The Bino, Federmann and Tshuva platforms each face third-generation transitions in the medium term.
How these families structure the transfer of operating control, philanthropic governance and trust architecture will determine whether the next institutional generation of Israeli private capital looks more like a European family office, an American single-family office, or something more particular to the Israeli context. The choice is being made now.
