Renowned hedge fund billionaire Bill Ackman, along with his wife Neri Oxman, has secured a 4.9% stake in the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE), as officially disclosed in a press release on Wednesday.
The acquisition coincided with the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange’s announcement of the pricing for a secondary offering, comprising 17,156,677 shares, equivalent to 18.5% of its market value. Priced at 20.60 shekels ($5.50) per share, Ackman and Oxman’s investment amounted to $17.3 million.
The TASE statement highlighted the transaction’s widespread interest among investors globally, representing a robust vote of confidence in both the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange and the broader Israeli economy.
Ackman and Oxman were identified as the sole purchasers in this substantial investment, marking one of the most noteworthy financial commitments in Israel since the conflict with Gaza in October. Despite economic challenges, Israel remains committed to addressing perceived existential threats, continuing a conflict with significant human casualties.
Notably, Ackman, the founder of New York-based hedge fund Pershing Square Capital Management, gained recognition for his activist campaigns at major companies. In 2023, his main fund achieved a 27% gain, generating $3.5 billion for investors.
Beyond his traditional activist pursuits, Ackman has recently extended his influence to campaigns against major U.S. universities, accusing them of insufficient action against antisemitism. His social media presence, particularly on platform X, has played a pivotal role in publicly advocating for leadership resignations at institutions such as Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania, and MIT. These campaigns are aligned with his broader activism against antisemitism. Additionally, Ackman has engaged in a public dispute with media outlet Business Insider and its parent company Axel Springer over plagiarism allegations against his wife, Neri Oxman, with threats of legal action.
