Ben Ashkenazy

Ben Ashkenazy is an Israeli-American billionaire real estate developer. He is the founder, CEO, and majority owner of Ashkenazy Acquisition Corporation, which has a $12 billion property portfolio. As of February 2024, his net worth was estimated at US$2.6 billion.

Early life

Ashkenazy was born in Israel, and grew up in Lawrence, [Nassau County, New York|Lawrence], Long Island, New York, the son of Izzy Ashkenazy, also a real estate businessman. He is of Jewish descent.

Career

Ashkenazy bought his first property at the age of 18. He attended night classes at Adelphi University, but did not graduate.
In 1987, he founded Ashkenazy Acquisition Corporation.
In 2013, his company bought London's Old Spitalfields Market, but later sold it. In July 2017, the company bought London's Grosvenor House Hotel for about $750 million.
His company held a long-term lease agreements in the city of Boston for Faneuil Hall Marketplace and South Station. His company leases Washington DC's Union Station, and has a $70 million stake in New York's Plaza Hotel.
In November 2019, his company purchased the 83,923-square-foot Ferndale Shopping Center in Larchmont for a price exceeding $35 million.

Personal life

He is married to Debra Ashkenazy, they have three children, and live on New York City's Fifth Avenue.
He hired rapper Drake to perform at his daughter's bat mitzvah in the Rainbow Room.
Ashkenazy is a minority owner of Euroleague Basketball club Maccabi [Tel Aviv B.C.]