Early Life
Shaul Shani was born circa 1955 in Kiryat Eliezer, Haifa, Israel. His father worked at the Port of Haifa. Information about his early years is limited.
Rise to Success
Shani began investing in the 1980s. His entrepreneurial journey took off in 1982 when he founded Oshap Technologies, a software company specializing in financial trading systems. The company was listed on NASDAQ in 1985. In 1999, Oshap Technologies was sold to SunGard for $210 million. In the same year, Shani founded Global Village Telecom (GVT), a telecommunications company. A significant milestone was the sale of GVT to Vivendi in 2009 for $4.5 billion, netting a profit of $1.5 billion.
Key Business Strategies
Shani's success is rooted in his ability to identify and invest in promising ventures. He co-founded and sold multiple companies, including Sapiens International Corporation and Tecnomatix, which were also listed on NASDAQ. In 2007, through his investment company, Swarth Group, he acquired ECI Telecom for $1.24 billion. In 2021, he became the chairman of Rashi, one of Israel's largest charities.
Philanthropy
In 2021, Shaul Shani became the chairman of Rashi, an Israeli charity focused on promoting social welfare and supporting initiatives that improve the lives of disadvantaged communities.