Ofer Nimrodi
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Ofer Nimrodi, born May 23, 1957, is an Israeli jurist, businessman, and former publisher.
Ofer, together with his father, Yaakov Nimrodi, and other members of the Nimrodi family, own a large group of companies and enterprises, primarily in the fields of real estate, the media, and energy.
Biography
Ofer Nimrodi was born in 1957 in Iran, where his father, Colonel Yaakov Nimrodi, served as the Military Attaché and Head of the Representation of Israel's Ministry of Defense (Israel). On completion of his mandate, the family stayed for several more years in Iran as the father became a successful businessman. Later on they returned to Israel and since then have been living in Savyon.
In the IDF, Ofer served as an artillery battery Commander in the Artillery Corps, and later as Commander of Brigade Support. He was discharged in 1979 and three years later fought in the First Lebanon War. He graduated cum laude from the Tel Aviv University Law School with an LLB, did his articles with the late Supreme Court Judge Miriam Ben Porat (later the State Comptroller), and with the late Tel-Aviv District Attorney Naomi Stern, and was admitted to the Israeli Bar. In 1989 he graduated from the Harvard University Business School in the United States with a Master of Arts in Business Administration.
In 1988, Yaakov Nimrodi purchased the Israel Land Development Company from the Jewish Agency. A year later, Ofer was appointed its CEO.
In 1992 the family purchased the Ma'ariv newspaper, after the passing of its previous owner Robert Maxwell. Ofer was appointed Publisher and Editor-in-Chief.
Nimrodi served an 8-month prison sentence during 1998-1999 for ordering illegal wiretapping while serving as the Editor-in-Chief of Ma'ariv. In 2000, he received a 25-month prison sentence for obstruction of justice, which was served concomitantly with an originally suspended 12-month sentence handed for his 1998 conviction. The decision not to add the 12 months to his prison-time was criticized by the State Prosecutor's office upon his release in 2002, expressing concerns that Nimrodi had recidivist tendencies.[1]
Ofer's sister, Ruth Nimrodi-Weissberg, was killed in Sinai in 1996 when the vehicle she was traveling in drove over an old Egyptian mine in an unmarked minefield. The family has commemorated her by making a generous donation to Variety Israel, an organization attending to children with special needs. Its center in Jerusalem carries her name.
Media
Nimrodi's entering the media field, and Maariv particularly, was considered outstanding since neither Nimrodi, nor any of the family members had ever been engaged in the field of journalism or any other media.
The engagement of "tycoons" in the media world drew much criticism and hostility from the veteran "media dynasties" in Israel (Mozes of Yedioth Ahronoth and Shocken of Haaretz) and led to fierce competition, still visible today. This competition also brought the leading publishers to purchase other media such as cable TV channels, until a law passed that banned cross-ownership in the media field.
In June 2011, The Israel Land Development Company sold the controlling shareholding of Ma'ariv to Discount Investment Corporation, a member of the IDB Group, controlled by Nohi Dankner. ILDC continues to hold a 27% stake in Ma'ariv.
Nimrodi as a person and as a businessman
In the last decade, Ofer Nimrodi has greatly expanded ILDC's business abroad. The company engaged in the development of large residential real estate projects (building neighborhoods in Warsaw and Bucharest), commercial real estate (logistic parks in Poland and Romania)], shopping malls (Romania, Moldova, Morocco), and in hotels and resorts (Canada and Morocco).
In 2010, the company had entered another new field with the establishment of the Israel Land Development Company - Energy Ltd. The young company quickly purchased licenses and options for licenses for locating gas and oil in the Levant Basin of the Mediterranean (in Israel’s economic waters) and in the Adriatic Sea. The company began drilling in two of its leading licenses: Sara and Myra.
Nimrodi is described by his opponents[who?], as well as his supporters[who?], in many ways: "The pampered son of the family", a "jolly good fellow", and "one with great charisma and personal charm". Even Dan Margalit, who served as the Editor-in-Chief of Ma'ariv, and decided to leave due to disagreements with Nimrodi, mentions in his book that ultimately, despite the disagreements, he had not ceased to appreciate Ofer Nimrodi's talent, and remained fond of him. According to him, Nimrodi is "talented and sharp; a relentlessly hardworking person, and when he is not losing his temper- he is good company".[citation needed]
Nimrodi's name is frequently found in tabloids and the gossip-section of newspapers. He is married for the second time, a father of six who resides in Savyon in a house named the "White House", which spreads over 7.5 acres.[2]
References
- ^ Haaretz report 2002. Ma'ariv owner and businessman Ofer Nimrodi released from prison (2002-03-20). Retrieved on 2013-04-27.
- ^ Lipson, Nathan (August 22, 2007). "Ofer Nimrodi stands alone at the helm". Haaretz. Retrieved 4 September 2012.