Masad Oz and America Israel Merge to Form Real Estate and Infrastructure Giant

Two prominent Israeli companies, Masad Oz and America Israel Investments, have finalized a merger agreement through a share exchange, creating a new entity focused on residential and commercial real estate development, as well as engineering and infrastructure projects. The combined group will fully own Masad Oz Management and Engineering, Masad Oz Entrepreneurship and Investments, and America Israel.

The merged entity's shareholders will include key individuals like Amit Masad, Netta Berman, Pinchas (Pini) Cohen, Shimshon Harel, and Alon Stauber, alongside institutional investors such as Leumi Partners, Migdal Insurance Group, and Bank Mercantil. Pini Cohen will serve as the Chairman, Amit Masad as Vice Chairman, and Alon Stauber will be the CEO of the new group. Shimshon Harel will continue as CEO of America Israel, and Netta Berman will be the Chief Engineering Officer.

The strategic rationale behind the merger is to combine Masad Oz's expertise in engineering and managing large, complex projects with America Israel's extensive experience in real estate entrepreneurship, capital, and business development, particularly in the residential sector. This synergy aims to enable the group to pursue larger-scale opportunities across all real estate sectors and related fields.

A stated objective of the merger is to prepare the company for a future public offering of debt and equity on the stock exchange, though no specific timeline has been set and will depend on business development and market conditions. The inclusion of institutional investors as shareholders is intended to provide a strong financial foundation for future expansion.

Masad Oz, operating since 1996, manages projects valued at approximately NIS 50 billion, including significant developments like the Sde Dov district in Tel Aviv and expansions at Ben Gurion Airport. America Israel, a long-standing real estate developer, has delivered over 7,000 housing units and has approximately 2,500 units currently in development. The merger occurs during a slowdown in the housing market, where developers are seeking stronger financial backing and diversification.