Ilan Ben-Dov
{{Short description|Israeli businessman}}
{{for|the Israeli diplomat|Ilan Ben-Dov (diplomat)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Ilan Ben-Dov
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| native_name = אילן בן-דב
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| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1957|1|16}}
| birth_place = Tel Aviv, Israel
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| nationality = Israeli
| native_name_lang = he
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| occupation = businessman
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Ilan Ben-Dov ({{langx|he|אילן בן-דב}}; born 16 January 1957{{cite needed|date=January 2024}}, in Tel Aviv, Israel{{cite needed|date=January 2024}}) is an Israeli businessman and investor.{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/ilan-ben-dov/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019021518/http://www.forbes.com/profile/ilan-ben-dov/|url-status=dead|archive-date=19 October 2012|title=Ilan Ben Dov profile at forbes.com|website=Forbes }}
Business career
Ilan Ben-Dov started in business at the age of 17, working as a games operator at a swimming pool. He began importing SEGA electronic games 13 years later, before founding Suny Electronics Ltd in 1991.{{cite web|url=http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/snapshot/snapshot.asp?ticker=SUNY:IT|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140104143642/http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/snapshot/snapshot.asp?ticker=SUNY:IT|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 January 2014|title=Suny Electronic Inc Ltd (SUNY:Tel Aviv)|accessdate=27 December 2023}} In 1993, during a Tel Aviv Stock Exchange bubble, Suny raised NIS 20 million in an IPO.
In 1998, Ben-Dov obtained the Israel franchise to import Samsung Electronics cellular telephones,{{cite web|url=https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/business/1.5027205|title=Ben-Dov Restructuring Tao Tsuot Debt|first=Michael|last=Rochvarger|work=Haaretz|date=13 July 2011}} and acquired control of the Achla web portal from Avi and Hagit Maor in September 1999.{{cite web|url=http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=376465|title=Sunny Acquires 80% of Achla Portal Against $1 Mln Investment|website=globes.co.il|date=12 July 2009}} Acquisitions continued to grow the empire, and in January 2001 Ben-Dov acquired the Tapuz web portal for $450,000{{cite web|url=http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=461951|title=Suny buying Tapuz portal for $450,000; initial price tag was $7.2 mln|website=globes.co.il|accessdate=27 December 2023}} through Achla. In March 2000, Pelephone and Ben-Dov launched GoNext, the first wireless Internet company in Israel.{{cite web|url=http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=383311|title=Pele-Phone, Suny.com Launch GONEXT – 1st Israeli Wireless Internet Company|website=globes.co.il|date=6 March 2000}} On 29 October 2002, Ben-Dov sold all of his shares in GoNext to Pelephone for NIS 42 million.{{cite web|url=http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=630267|title=GoNext dispute over|website=globes.co.il|date=29 October 2002}} On 27 December 2004, he sold 3% of IDB Holding Corp. to Nochi Dankner.{{cite web|url=http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=868132|title=Nochi Dankner buys 3% of IDB from Ilan Ben Dov|website=globes.co.il|date=27 December 2004}}
In January 2004, he founded, together with Oren Levy, Dan Chen, Guy Alon Eliav and Nir Ofir, a video chat website that he called BlogTV in Israel. in 2006 the website offered its service to the rest of the world and became popular in the US and Canada. in December 2007, the Israeli TV show To Catch a Predator by Arutz Eser was devoted to impersonating 13 years old girl named "Lotem13" and detaining male adults who contacted her via the BlogTV chat for sexual liaisons.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC57873995FF01564|title=To Catch a Predator|via=YouTube}}
On 4 April 2005, he bought more 6.3% of Giron shareholding.{{cite web|url=https://www.haaretz.com/1.4786774|title=Ilan Ben-Dov Hikes Giron Shareholding to 6.3%|date=4 April 2005|work=Haaretz}} In 2005, Ben-Dov expanded his financing activity and founded Tao Tsuot Ltd., which made a number of leveraged investments in public companies. However, these investments were made at the height of the bull market. Tao took a severe battering during the market crash in 2008, posting heavy losses as share prices crashed, and it fell into a shareholders' equity deficit.
In 2008, he restructured Suny's holdings and sold the Samsung cellular telephone import business to Suny subsidiary Scailex Corp. ltd. Except for importing Samsung cellular telephones, Suny was active in the Internet service field through its controlling interest in Internet portal Tapuz People Ltd and BlogTV. In August 2009 Ben Dov acquired control of Partner Communications from Hutchison Telecommunications International for NIS 4.7 billion (about $1.38 billion),{{cite web|url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3761158,00.html|title=Ilan Ben-Dov buys controlling interest of Partner|date=8 December 2009|website=ynetnews.com}} financed through loans provided by the financial institutions that bought his bonds, the banks, and Hutchison's seller's loan.{{Citation needed|date=June 2015}} On 10 January 2010, he sold 4.92% of Azorim Investment, Development and Construction Ltd. for NIS 36.8 million.{{cite web|url=http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=1000529205|title=Ben-Dov liquidates Azorim stake|website=globes.co.il|date=10 January 2010}}
In October 2010, Ben-Dov bought 012 Smile for NIS 1.5 billion.{{cite web|url=https://www.haaretz.com/1.5125236|title=Partner Buying 012 Smile|date=14 October 2010|work=Haaretz}} In December 2012 Ben dov sold 30.7 percent of Partner Communications along with control of the company to Haim Saban.{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/scailex-saban-partner-idUSL5E8N204220121202|title=Scailex sells Israel's Partner to Saban|website=Reuters|date=2 December 2012 }} On 6 May 2013, Ben Dov put Tapuz up for sale.{{cite web|url=http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=1000841672|title=Ben-Dov auctions Tapuz|website=globes.co.il|accessdate=27 December 2023}}
On 10 July 2013, a court ordered the liquidation for Ben-Dov's Tao.{{cite web|url=http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=1000861250|title=Court orders liquidation for Ben-Dov's Tao|website=globes.co.il|date=10 July 2013}} The following day Bank Leumi granted a temporary foreclosure order against Ben-Dov's assets.{{cite web|url=http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=1000861370|title=Leumi attempts to seize Ben-Dov's assets|website=globes.co.il}} In September 2013 Ben Dov sold the Tapuz web portal to Trendline Information and Communication Services Ltd. for NIS 4.3 million.{{cite web|url=http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=1000876509|title=Trendline buys Tapuz Internet activity|website=globes.co.il|date=1 September 2013}} On 23 June 2014, Scailex board ousted Ilan Ben-Dov as chairman.{{cite web|url=http://www.globes.co.il/en/article-scailex-board-ousts-ilan-ben-dov-as-chairman-1000948312|title=Scailex board ousts Ilan Ben-Dov as chairman|website=globes.co.il|date=23 June 2014}}
Ben-Dov has made a number of financial investments, and Suny has become a party at interest in several companies, including IDB Holding Corp. Ltd.{{cite web|url=http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=1000489280|title=The rise of Ilan Ben-Dov|website=globes.co.il|date=12 August 2009}}
Holdings
- User trend (formerly: Tapuz people)
- BlogTV
- Partner Communications Company Ltd.
- 012 Smile
- [https://archive.today/20140110102901/http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=11639580 Suny.com] Ltd.
- Derech HaLotus Ltd.
- Refuat Halotus Ltd.
- Tao Tsuot Real Estate Ltd.
- Ben Dov Investments Ltd.
- I. Ben Dov Investments Ltd.
- Harmony (Ben Dov) Ltd.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/business/zorba-the-buddhist-1.281925 Zorba the Buddhist]
- [http://www.haaretz.com/business/ben-dov-partner-was-too-big-for-me-1.434670 Ben-Dov: Partner was too big for me]
- [http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=1000710501 Ilan Ben Dov's Partner venture ending in tears]
- [http://www.haaretz.com/business/ben-dov-restructuring-tao-tsuot-debt-1.372947 Ben-Dov restructuring Tao Tsuot debt]
- [http://www.haaretz.com/business/ilan-ben-dov-pursuing-stock-sale-bond-offering-to-meet-debt-over-partner.premium-1.480271 Ilan Ben-Dov pursuing stock sale, bond offering to meet debt over Partner]
- [http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=1000754709 Ben-Dov is only the first debt victim]
- [http://www.haaretz.com/business/ben-dov-hutchison-can-t-quit-partner-agreement-1.463062 Ben-Dov: Hutchison can't quit Partner agreement]
- [http://www.haaretz.com/business/bottom-shekel-ben-dov-brought-tao-low-but-the-watchdogs-missed-the-signs-1.401131 Ben-Dov brought Tao low, but the watchdogs missed the signs]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ben-Dov, Ilan}}