Ofer vs Potanin

Quantum Pacific Group (Eastern Pacific Shipping) and Nornickel.

The differences

Forbes puts Idan Ofer about $0.5B ahead of Vladimir Potanin.Forbes figures from 9 Oct 2026 and 17 Oct 2026.
Idan Ofer: inherited and grew it. Vladimir Potanin: built it up.
Idan Ofer is about 6 years older than Vladimir Potanin.
Vladimir Potanin has signed the Giving Pledge; Idan Ofer has not.
Idan Ofer is from Israel; Vladimir Potanin is from Russia.

Put someone else on either side

Ofer

Potanin

Net worth, Forbes: $30.2BForbes, 9 Oct 2026; $29.7BForbes, 17 Oct 2026
Net worth, Bloomberg: $30.7BBloomberg, 12 Oct 2026; $21.8BBloomberg, 17 Oct 2026
Forbes rank: No. 75Real-Time list, 9 Oct 2026; No. 76Real-Time list, 17 Oct 2026
Billionaire since: Not stated; Not stated

How it started: Inherited and grew itBloomberg: his fortune derives from the shipping business his father founded; the family's assets were divided evenly between Idan and his brother Eyal by the time Sammy Ofer died in 2011. He chaired Israel Corp. after the family took control in 1999 and created Kenon Holdings in 2014; Built it upFounded Interros in 1990; acquired a stake in Norilsk Nickel during Russia's privatization in the 1990s and has run it since 2012
Main source: Shipping through Quantum Pacific Group, plus stakes in Israel Corp. and Kenon HoldingsBloomberg: 'The majority of Idan Ofer's fortune is derived from the global shipping business his father founded'; Norilsk Nickel stockBloomberg: most of his wealth is his Norilsk Nickel stake; he also has stakes in T-Technologies and Yandex
Companies: Quantum Pacific Group (Eastern Pacific Shipping), Israel Corp., Kenon HoldingsQuantum Pacific Group (Eastern Pacific Shipping): Principal owner; Israel Corp.: Largest shareholder; no board role; Kenon Holdings: Controlling shareholder; Nornickel, InterrosNornickel: President and chairman of the management board; Interros: Founder and president
Biggest stake: Kenon Holdings62% owned; Interros100% owned

Born: 2 Oct 1955Haifa, Israel; 3 Jan 1961Moscow, Russia
Country: IsraelLives in London, United Kingdom; Russia
Education: Bachelor's degreeEconomics and shipping, University of Haifa; later London Business School; Not statedFaculty of Economics, Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO), 1983
Parents: Younger son of Sammy Ofer, a Romanian immigrant and Israeli Navy veteran who founded a shipping company with his brother, and Aviva Ofer; Father was a trade diplomat and mother a doctor

Giving Pledge: Not a signer; Signed in 2013
Foundation: Idan and Batia Ofer Family Foundation; Vladimir Potanin FoundationGrant-making foundation created in 1999
Lifetime giving: Not stated; Not stated

Role now: OwnerPrincipal owner of Quantum Pacific Group; controlling shareholder of Israel Corp. and Kenon Holdings; Runs the companyPresident and chairman of the management board of Nornickel; president of Interros
Successor: Amir Elstein succeeded him as chairman of Israel Corp. in 2010No successor at his shipping business is named; Not stated
Public office: None found; First Deputy Prime Minister of Russia1996-1997
Legal record: None found; 2022: UK governmentDesignated under UK sanctions with a full asset freeze (UK Sanctions List reference RUS1466).