von Bechtolsheim vs Ofer

Arista Networks and Zodiac Maritime.

The differences

Forbes puts Andreas von Bechtolsheim about $0.2B ahead of Eyal Ofer.Forbes figures from 9 Oct 2026 and 9 Oct 2026.
Andreas von Bechtolsheim: co-founded it. Eyal Ofer: inherited and grew it.
Eyal Ofer is about 5 years older than Andreas von Bechtolsheim.
Andreas von Bechtolsheim is from Germany; Eyal Ofer is from Israel.

Put someone else on either side

von Bechtolsheim

Ofer

Net worth, Forbes: $36BForbes, 9 Oct 2026; $35.8BForbes, 9 Oct 2026
Net worth, Bloomberg: $42.5BBloomberg, 14 Oct 2026; $32.1BBloomberg, 17 Oct 2026
Forbes rank: No. 64Real-Time list, 9 Oct 2026; No. 65Real-Time list, 15 Oct 2026
Billionaire since: Not stated; Not stated

How it started: Co-founded itCo-founded Arista in 2004 (as Arastra) after co-founding Sun Microsystems; Forbes says much of his fortune stems from the $100,000 cheque he wrote to Google in 1998; Inherited and grew itJoined his father's shipping business in the 1970s and took it into real estate and banking; when Sammy Ofer died in 2011 the assets were divided between Eyal and his brother Idan
Main source: An early Google investment and his Arista Networks stakeForbes' source of wealth is Google; the 2026 Arista proxy shows 14.6% held by his family trust; Zodiac shipping group and Global Holdings real estate, through Ofer GlobalBloomberg's largest items: Zodiac Group ($11 billion), Mizrahi Tefahot Bank ($4.1 billion), Royal Caribbean ($3.2 billion), Global Holdings ($1.56 billion US assets)
Companies: Arista NetworksArista Networks: Co-founder and chief architect; Zodiac Maritime, Global HoldingsZodiac Maritime: Chairman; Global Holdings: Founder and chairman
Biggest stake: Arista Networks14.6% owned; Zodiac MaritimeStake not stated

Born: 30 Sep 1955Bavaria, Germany; 2 Jun 1950Haifa, Israel
Country: GermanyLives in Palo Alto, California, United States; IsraelLives in Monte Carlo, Monaco
Education: Graduate degreeMS computer engineering, Carnegie Mellon University (1976); doctoral student in computer engineering at Stanford, 1977-1982; Not statedAtlantic College, UK (secondary school)
Parents: Grew up on a farm in Bavaria; his father was an elementary-school teacher and his mother a homemakerThe farm was leased to a farmer; Elder son of shipping magnate Sammy Ofer, once Israel's richest man

Giving Pledge: Not a signer; Not a signer
Foundation: Not stated; Eyal & Marilyn Ofer Family FoundationSupports education, healthcare and the arts
Lifetime giving: Not stated; Not stated

Role now: Founder, no executive roleCo-founder and chief architect of Arista Networks; Chair of the boardChairman of Ofer Global, Zodiac Maritime and Global Holdings
Successor: Jayshree Ullal, Arista's founding CEO, is now also its chairpersonArista said in 2015 he has no family relationship with any of its executive officers or directors; His son Daniel Ofer has been CEO of Zodiac Maritime since 2011; his son David is a managing partner of O.G. Venture Partners, and all four children work in Ofer Global's businesses
Public office: None found; None found
Legal record: 2024: US District Court for N.D. California (SEC case)A consent final judgment in an SEC insider-trading case bars him from serving as an officer or director of a public company for five years and ordered a $923,740 civil penalty; Forbes reports he agreed without admitting guilt.; None found