| Ben Ashkenazy | |
| Birth Date: | [1] |
| Birth Place: | Israel |
| Nationality: | American |
| Alma Mater: | Adelphi University (did not graduate) |
| Occupation: | Businessman |
| Known For: | Founder, CEO and majority owner of Ashkenazy Acquisition Corporation |
| Spouse: | Debra Ashkenazy |
| Children: | 3 |
Ben Ashkenazy (born 1968/69) is an American billionaire real estate developer. He is the founder, CEO, and majority owner of Ashkenazy Acquisition Corporation, which has a $12 billion property portfolio. As of February 2024, his net worth was estimated at US$2.6 billion.[1]
Ashkenazy was born in Israel, and grew up in Lawrence, Long Island, New York, the son of Izzy Ashkenazy, also a real estate businessman.[2] [3] He is of Jewish descent.[4]
Ashkenazy bought his first property at the age of 18.[2] [3] He attended night classes at Adelphi University, but did not graduate.[2]
In 1987, he founded Ashkenazy Acquisition Corporation.[2]
In 2013, his company bought London's Old Spitalfields Market, but later sold it.[3] In July 2017, the company bought London's Grosvenor House Hotel for about $750 million.[3]
His company holds a long-term lease agreement with the City of Boston for Boston's Faneuil Hall Marketplace, leases Washington DC's Union Station, and has a $70 million stake in New York's Plaza Hotel.[3] [5]
In November 2019, his company purchased the 83,923-square-foot Ferndale Shopping Center in Larchmont for a price exceeding $35 million.[6]
He is married to Debra Ashkenazy, they have three children, and live on New York City's Fifth Avenue.[1] [5] [7]
He hired rapper Drake to perform at his daughter's bat mitzvah in the Rainbow Room.[1] [3]
Ashkenazy is a minority owner of Euroleague Basketball club Maccabi Tel Aviv B.C.