Naot CEO Departs Less Than a Year After Appointment; Owner's Daughter to Replace Him

Asaf Ben Dov, the global CEO of Naot, a well-known Israeli comfort shoe company, is stepping down less than a year after his appointment in November 2025. He will be succeeded by Ayelet Lux, daughter of owners Steve and Susie Lux, who previously served as CEO of Naot's U.S. market.

Naot, founded nearly 85 years ago in Kibbutz Naot Mordechai, was acquired by the Lux family in 2014 for approximately NIS 260 million. The company currently operates 50 stores in Israel, employing 450 people, and has a significant international presence, particularly in the United States.

During his tenure, Ben Dov was responsible for the global operations of the company, focusing on innovation, efficiency, and business strategy. He replaced Moshe Mari, who had served for four years. Ben Dov's prior executive roles include CEO of Golan Heights Winery, CEO of Mashbir L'Tzarchan, and CEO of the Maccabi Haifa football club.

Lux, who studied shoe design, initially pursued a career outside the family business, interning at Donna Karan and working at Bank of America. She eventually joined Naot, working alongside her father. She previously highlighted the company's potential to combine comfort with style for the global market, noting Naot's strong position in U.S. comfort rankings.

This leadership change follows other recent appointments at Naot, including Akiva Tischler as CEO of the Israeli operations in April and Tal Heishtein as global VP of Marketing and E-commerce two months prior. Neither Asaf Ben Dov nor Naot provided a comment on the departure.