There were nine Israelis in the Forbes 2015 list of the world’s 500 wealthiest billionaires. French-Israeli telecom tycoon Patrick Drahi topped the list of wealthiest Israelis, ranking 57, with a fortune of US$16 billion. Drahi, owns Israel’s HOT cable company.

He was followed by Eyal Ofer, ranked 156 with a fortune of US$8.5 billion (up from 191 with US$7 billion last year). Eyal is the son of shipping magnate Sammy Ofer, who died in 2011 and was once Israel’s richest man.

In third place, ranked 265 with a fortune of US$5.6 billion was Stef Wertheimer and family (up from 267 – US$5.3 billion), In forth place ranked 330 with a fortune of US$4.8 billion was Idan Ofer (down from 244 – US$5.6 billion). Making up the top five with US$$5.1 billion was Arnon Milchan (up from 319 – US$4.7 billion).

Israel’s wealthiest woman, ranked 369 with a fortune of US$4.4 billion, was Shari Arison (down from 319 – US$4.7 billion). Yitzhak Tshuva ranked 481 with a fortune of US$3.6 billion (up from 520 – US$3.1 billion), and Beny Steinmetz and Haim Saban were both ranked 497 with a fortune of US$3.5 billion. Teddy Sagi rose to number 534 on the list with a personal fortune of US$3.3 billion, compared to 687th place last year.

High-tech entrepreneur Shaul Shani recorded the most impressive leap of all the Israelis when he jumped up to number 603 on the list compared to 1,284 last year. Forbes estimated his fortune at three billion dollars. Alexander Mashkevich closed the list of the top ten Israelis, at 847th on the list with a personal fortune of US$2.2 billion. Last year he was ranked 1,046th on the list. Check Point’s founder, Gil Shwed, climbed to number 847, as compared to 988 on the list last year, with a fortune estimated at US$2.2 billion.