Jerusalem businessman Rami Levy, who owns a national supermarket chain, a communications company, the Kopix coffee shop chain and various real estate properties, won a tender today (Sunday) to purchase Israir Airlines. Levy, together with BGI and Shalom Haim will buy Israir for NIS 162 million.
Rami Levy branch flooded in Ashdod. Photo: People of Silence on Facebook
Levy’s bid won the tender for the purchase of the airline from the trustee for IDB’s Series I bonds. The bondholders voted by a 70 percent majority in favor of Levy’s offer, which outperformed other offers, including the Dor Alon company controlled by Moti Ben Moshe and a private company owned by Yigal Damari.
It was also learned that Rami Levy may sign a deal with Israir, for cooperation within the retail company’s customer club. The result will be a collaboration that will give an advantage to the members of the supermarket chain’s customer club in aviation matters as well. The choice was worn and his team was made possible after the IDB trustee, Adv. Ofir Naor, also outperformed two competing proposals that reached the final stage.
In the summary of the transaction: 51% of the company’s shares were purchased by BGI, the company offering it a Levy partner, for NIS 82.6 million and an additional 24% were purchased by Rami Levy for NIS 39 million. IDB bondholders will be entitled to receive approximately 25% of Israir’s shares, and will be allowed to sell their shares to Rami Levy and Haim Shalom for an amount of approximately NIS 40 million. The appeal filed by Ben Moshe was rejected and the sale transaction is underway.