Ofra Strauss facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ofra Strauss
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| Born | 22 August 1960 Nahariya, Israel
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| Occupation | Chairperson of Strauss Group |
| Years active | 2001–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Dan Lahat
(m. 1987; div. 2001)Adi Keizman
(m. 2005; div. 2010) |
| Children | 4 |
| Parent(s) | Michael Strauss |
Ofra Yasmin Strauss (born August 22, 1960) is a very successful Israeli businesswoman. She is the leader (Chairperson) of the Strauss Group, a big food company in Israel. It's the second largest food maker there, and its shares are traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (which is like a market where people buy and sell parts of companies).
She became the Chairperson in 2001. Her father, Michael Strauss, who was also a big leader in the company, prepared her for the job before he retired.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Ofra Strauss was born in Nahariya, Israel. She is the oldest of three children. Her mother, Ella, was a nurse. Her father, Michael Strauss, was the chairperson of Strauss Group. Her grandparents, Hilda and Dr. Richard Strauss, started the family business.
Ofra has a younger sister named Irit and a younger brother named Adi. Both are also involved in business.
Growing Up in the Family Business
Ofra grew up around the family business. Her father shared that when she was 11, she would join him on night deliveries. She helped carry heavy dairy products. She also listened to his business talks and watched how many cartons were delivered.
She worked in different roles at the company over the years. In 1987, she graduated from Tel Aviv University Law School.
Her Business Career
From 1987 to 1989, Ofra worked in New York City. She was in the marketing department for Estée Lauder Companies, a well-known American cosmetics company. During this time, she helped lead a marketing campaign in Japan.
Returning to Strauss Group
In 1989, Ofra returned to Israel and the family business. She was prepared to take over from her father as chairperson. She became the Marketing Director for the ice cream part of the company. Later, she led the food division.
In 1993, she became the general manager of Strauss salads. The Strauss company grew a lot during this time. Her father led many big purchases of other food businesses in Israel. One important purchase was Elite in 1996. After that, Ofra became the CEO of Elite.
In 2001, her father officially retired. Ofra was then appointed as the chairperson of the entire Strauss Group.
Leading the Company's Growth
From 2002 to 2004, Ofra managed the combining of Elite into the Strauss Group. Elite had been bought in 1996 but stayed a separate company. By 2007–2008, Elite was no longer part of the company's main name. It became a brand for chocolate and coffee.
Ofra has created important partnerships with other big companies. These include Danone, PepsiCo, Haier, São Miguel, and Virgin. These partnerships help sell dairy products, coffee, water, dips, and spreads.
The partnership with PepsiCo also created the Sabra Dipping Company in the US. Since 2009, Sabra has been the largest maker of hummus worldwide.
Since 2011, Ofra Strauss has been the Chair of the Israel-America Chamber of Commerce. This group works on business ties between Israel and America. Food technology is a key focus for the Chamber.
Helping Others and Community Work
Ofra Strauss is involved in many activities to help people.
- She is the President of Jasmine, an Israeli non-profit group. Jasmine helps Jewish and Arab Israeli women start their own businesses. In 2016, Jasmine won an award for promoting a respectful society.
- In 2008, Ofra helped start the Israeli Catalyst census. This project counts how many women are on company boards. It is similar to the global Catalyst organization.
- She is a member of the International Council on Women's Business Leadership.
- She used to be the Chair of fundraising for WIZO (Women's International Zionist Organization).
- Ofra started a scholarship program. It is named after Hilda Strauss, her grandmother and a co-founder of the family business.
- She is on the board of HESEG. This foundation helps former "Lone Soldiers" who came to Israel from other countries.
- She is also on the board of the Taub Center. This center studies social policy in Israel.
- In the 2000s, Ofra was the chair of the "Together at Home" project. This project helped Ethiopian Jews in Israel settle into life in Israel.
- She was also the Chair of the Israeli MAALA CSR and Corporate Governance Forum.
Awards and Recognition
Ofra Strauss has received several awards for her work.
- In 2000, she won the Israeli Industry Prize. This award was from the Manufacturers Association of Israel for the food category.
- In 2005, Fortune Magazine listed her as 42nd on its list of "Fortune Most Powerful Women Entrepreneurs". She also appeared on the "Fortune Global Power 50" list between 2003 and 2008.
- In 2009–2010, the Financial Times ranked her among the top 50 leading women in the business world.
Personal Life
Ofra Strauss is a mother of four children. Michaela is a photographer. Tom is a co-founder of a design start-up called Tailor Brands. Jasmine is also her child. These three are from her first marriage to Dan Lahat. Daniel is her daughter from her second marriage to Adi Keizman.
