Yossi Maiman, major shareholder in Channel 10, dies at 75

Israeli businessman Yossi Maiman, who was a controlling shareholder of the now-defunct Channel 10 television station, and who headed energy, transportation, and communications projects, died on Saturday at age 75.

Maiman was born in Germany in 1946 to a family of Holocaust survivors from Poland, but he grew up in Peru.

After completing a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Texas, and a master’s in economics from Cornell University, Maiman worked for the oil and gas giant Exxon.

In 1971, he emigrated to Israel, living in Herzliya north of Tel Aviv.

In Israel, Maiman worked for fuel provider Sonol until the mid-’70s, when he founded Merhav Group, which engages in the development, financing, and management of projects in agriculture, industrial agriculture, water, transportation, telecommunications, gas, oil and energy.

Merhav Group operates in Central and South America, and well as in Europe, the Middle East and China.

Maiman died Saturday at his Herzliya home after suffering from an undisclosed illness. He is survived by his wife, Halit Ben-Israel, and three children, Ohad, Yoav and Noa.

Former reporters for Channel 10 (which was closed and merged into Channel 13) mourned his death, describing him as the person who fought to keep the network alive for years, through multiple crises.

“We will always remember him as the one who carried Channel 10 on both shoulders with endless nobility and dedication for many years, and against the strong forces that worked to close the channel,” Or Heller tweeted.

“I take part in the deep sorrow of the family and thank him and them for everything they gave to the employees and for the success of the channel,” reporter Almog Boker said.