Hapoel Tel Aviv is moving toward bringing in a new investor, with the club in advanced talks with Jewish-British billionaire Alan Howard, according to information provided to ynet. Howard is nearing an agreement to buy about 15 percent of the basketball club for roughly 40 million shekels.
The team has been searching for a financial partner for months to broaden and stabilize its ownership structure, and the effort now appears close to completion. Today, 81 percent of the club is held by businessman Ofer Yanai through his company Adom Nihul Sal, while the supporters’ association controls the remaining 19 percent.
Alongside the planned move, Yanai has been reducing his stake in the club’s subsidiary, Yanai Sport, whose ownership is currently divided among Yanai (75 percent), Miki Malka (15 percent) and Gili Raanan (10 percent). If the deal with Howard goes through, his 15 percent share in Yanai Sport would lower Yanai’s holding to 60 percent.
Howard, 61, was born in England to a Jewish family and attended Hasmonean Grammar School in London. He later earned a master’s degree in engineering from Imperial College London before beginning his financial career at Salomon Brothers. He went on to become a cofounder of Brevan Howard, one of Europe’s leading hedge fund management firms.
He has been regarded for years as a major figure in global finance. Forbes previously listed him among the world’s top-earning hedge fund managers, and he later appeared on the Sunday Times Rich List. In recent years he stepped back from day-to-day leadership at Brevan Howard but has remained active in the investment world, including backing digital-asset funds.
Howard has also taken part in philanthropic and community initiatives, including projects connected to Jewish cultural institutions in London.
Forbes currently estimates his net worth at about 3.9 billion dollars, placing him 929th among the world’s wealthiest individuals.