Migdal Insurance and Financial Holdings
An Israeli publicly traded holding company focused on insurance, pensions, investments, and related financial services.
Last updated August 27, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
Migdal Insurance and Financial Holdings Ltd. is an Israeli public holding company whose principal business is the ownership and coordination of insurance and financial-services operations. Its most important operating subsidiary is Migdal Insurance Company, an insurer offering life, property, health, and other forms of insurance. The group also has interests in investment and related financial activities, including Migdal Capital Markets and Migdal Health and Quality of Life. The holding company was established in August 1974 and became associated with Israel's public capital markets during the 1990s. In September 1996, it sold a 20 percent stake to the public through an initial public offering on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. The company is also identified as having traded on the exchange since the late 1990s and as being included in the TA-125 Index. Its TASE security code is MGDL. Migdal's corporate history is connected to the older insurance business that carries the Migdal name. The insurance group was founded in Jerusalem in 1934, with backing from local Jewish investors, families from Egypt and Italy, and the Italian insurer Assicurazioni Generali. Generali initially held a 50 percent stake and supplied financial and professional support; over time, its interest reportedly increased to approximately 70 percent. The 1974 holding-company structure should therefore be distinguished from the earlier establishment of the insurance operation. The group expanded its financial-services footprint through subsidiaries and affiliated companies. Migdal Insurance Company remains the central operating business, while Migdal Capital Markets and Migdal Health and Quality of Life represent additional areas of activity. Subsidiaries within the group may themselves own further companies, giving Migdal a holding-company structure rather than a single-product brand model. Ownership changed substantially in 2012. Assicurazioni Generali agreed in March of that year to sell its entire holding in Migdal Insurance and Financial Holdings to Israeli businessman Shlomo Eliyahu, with completion reported in October 2012. Following the transaction, Eliyahu held approximately 70 percent, Bank Leumi approximately 10 percent, and the public approximately 20 percent. The change shifted control from the historic Italian strategic shareholder to an Israeli controlling shareholder. Leadership has also changed in recent years. Shlomo Eliyahu served as chairman until January 2022, when Hanan Melcer succeeded him. Yiftach Ron-Tal served as chief executive until the end of December 2021, and Yossi Ben Baruch became chief executive in July 2022. Roni Gamzu was appointed chairman in November 2024. Migdal therefore combines the characteristics of a long-established Israeli insurance franchise, a listed holding company, and a diversified provider of insurance and financial products primarily serving the Israeli market.
History
Migdal Insurance and Financial Holdings was established in August 1974 as a holding company for insurance and financial-services activities in Israel. Its principal operating business is Migdal Insurance Company, whose roots reach back further, to the establishment of an insurance operation in Jerusalem in 1934. That earlier enterprise was supported by local Jewish investors, families from Egypt and Italy, and Assicurazioni Generali of Italy. Generali initially held half of the business and supplied financial and professional backing; its ownership later rose to approximately 70 percent. The holding company entered the Israeli public market during the 1990s. In September 1996, it conducted an initial public offering involving 20 percent of its shares. The company is reported as having traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange since 1997 and as being included in the TA-125 Index. The listed holding-company structure gave public investors exposure to an established insurance group while allowing the business to organize several operating and investment activities under one corporate umbrella. Migdal Insurance Company became the group's central subsidiary. It operates across life, property, health, and other insurance lines, while the wider group also developed or held interests in investment and health-related businesses. Migdal Capital Markets and Migdal Health and Quality of Life have been identified as prominent subsidiaries held by the group since 2001. These companies, in turn, may hold additional subsidiaries, making Migdal a multi-layered financial-services group rather than a single insurer. A major ownership transition occurred in 2012. In March, Assicurazioni Generali agreed to sell its entire stake in Migdal Insurance and Financial Holdings to Shlomo Eliyahu. The transaction was completed in October. The reported post-transaction ownership consisted of approximately 70 percent held by Eliyahu, approximately 10 percent held by Bank Leumi, and approximately 20 percent held by public shareholders. This ended Generali's role as the controlling strategic shareholder and placed the group under Israeli control. Governance changed during the following decade. Shlomo Eliyahu remained chairman until January 2022, when Hanan Melcer took over the chairmanship. Yiftach Ron-Tal was chief executive until the end of December 2021. Yossi Ben Baruch became chief executive in July 2022. In November 2024, Roni Gamzu was appointed chairman. Through these changes, Migdal continued to operate primarily in Israel, combining insurance underwriting with pensions, long-term savings, investment management, and related financial services.
- 2024
Roni Gamzu appointed chairman
[1]Roni Gamzu was appointed chairman of the board in November.
- 2022
Board and executive leadership transition
[1]Hanan Melcer replaced Shlomo Eliyahu as chairman in January, and Yossi Ben Baruch became chief executive in July.
- 2012
Generali sells controlling interest
[1]Assicurazioni Generali agreed to sell its entire holding to Shlomo Eliyahu in March; the transaction was completed in October.
- 2001
Expansion of subsidiary holdings
[1]Migdal Holdings added or held prominent businesses including Migdal Capital Markets and Migdal Health and Quality of Life.
- 1997
Tel Aviv Stock Exchange trading
[1]Migdal's shares began trading on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange and were later associated with the TA-125 Index.
- 1996
Initial public offering
[1]The company sold a 20 percent stake to public investors through an initial public offering on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange.
- 1974
Holding company established
[1]Migdal Insurance and Financial Holdings was founded in August as a corporate holding structure for insurance and financial activities.
- 1934
Insurance operation founded in Jerusalem
[1]The insurance business associated with the Migdal name was established in Jerusalem with backing from local and overseas investors and Assicurazioni Generali.
Products and positioning
A major Israeli insurance and financial-services group serving households, businesses, savers, and investors through insurance, long-term savings, investment, and related financial operations.
Insurance · 1934
Migdal Insurance Company
The group's principal operating insurance company. It provides a broad range of coverage in Israel, including life insurance, property insurance, health insurance, and other insurance products. It forms the core of Migdal's underwriting and customer-facing business.
Investment and capital-markets services
Migdal Capital Markets
An investment-related subsidiary within the Migdal group. It represents the group's activity beyond insurance and contributes to its broader offering of investment and financial-services capabilities.
Health-related services
Migdal Health and Quality of Life
A health-oriented subsidiary identified as part of Migdal's group structure. Its inclusion reflects the company's expansion into businesses related to health and quality-of-life services alongside its core insurance operations.
Retirement and savings
Pension and long-term savings products
Migdal's financial-services scope includes pension, long-term savings, and investment products associated with the Israeli insurance and savings market. Specific product names and launch dates are not established in the supplied reference material.
Brand decisions
2012
Sale of Generali's holding to Shlomo EliyahuM&ABackground
Assicurazioni Generali agreed to dispose of its entire holding in Migdal Insurance and Financial Holdings after having been the group's historic strategic and controlling shareholder.
Action taken
The sale was agreed in March 2012 and completed in October 2012, transferring control to Shlomo Eliyahu.
Aftermath
Reported ownership after completion was approximately 70 percent for Shlomo Eliyahu, approximately 10 percent for Bank Leumi, and approximately 20 percent for public shareholders.
Recent events
- 2024
Roni Gamzu appointed chairman[1]
Leadership change
Roni Gamzu was appointed chairman of the board in November 2024.
- 2022
Hanan Melcer becomes chairman of Migdal[1]
Leadership change
Hanan Melcer replaced Shlomo Eliyahu as chairman of the board in January 2022.
- 2022
Yossi Ben Baruch appointed chief executive[1]
Leadership change
Yossi Ben Baruch succeeded Yiftach Ron-Tal as chief executive from July 2022.
- 2012
Migdal completes ownership transfer from Assicurazioni Generali to Shlomo Eliyahu[1]
M&A
The sale of Assicurazioni Generali's entire holding in Migdal Insurance and Financial Holdings to Shlomo Eliyahu was completed, changing the group's controlling ownership.
Sources1 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/migdal-insurance-and-financial-holdings · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled