Apax and Zahavit Cohen Deny Ex-Number Two's Abuse Claims, Say He Sought Revenge

Apax Global, Apax Israel, and chair Zahavit Cohen filed their defense on Monday against the workplace abuse lawsuit brought by Eran Nachum, until recently Cohen’s deputy and partner at Apax Israel. They argue he is not a whistleblower but a disgruntled former executive who tried to oust Cohen, damage her reputation, and pressure the firms into paying him money. The defendants deny any harassment or unlawful dismissal and say Nachum was fired only after an external review and a formal hearing found serious misconduct.

Nachum sued in February in the Tel Aviv labor court, seeking about 10 million shekels for alleged abuse, retaliatory treatment, wrongful dismissal, unpaid wages, defamation, and emotional distress. He also asked for remedies tied to equity rights he says had already vested and are worth several million dollars more. In his claim, he said Cohen’s treatment of him worsened after his promotion in late 2024, describing humiliation, insults, intimidation, public shaming, a toxic atmosphere, and instructions to surveil other employees, record them, and collect information on them.

Nachum says the turning point came in November 2025, when he complained to Apax’s global leadership about Cohen. He claims the company initially treated him as a protected whistleblower, but later “tainted” the process, turned him into a scapegoat, and used allegations about his conduct, job performance, and cannabis use at work against him. He also alleged corporate-governance violations involving his exclusion from board meetings, including at Max Stock, where he was a director.

In response, Apax and Cohen say Nachum first tried to persuade Apax’s global CEO to remove Cohen, including by smearing her as too old for the job, and then launched a media campaign when that plan failed. They say an independent law-firm review rejected his claims and found no harassment by Cohen, but did uncover serious breaches by Nachum, including aggressive behavior, threats, and alleged marijuana use during the workday. After a hearing, they say, he was lawfully dismissed. Nachum’s lawyer replied that the defense is an attempt to reverse victim and offender, and said the truth will come out in court.