Batia Ofer is a world-renowned art collector and philanthropist. She began her philanthropic career as Honorary President of Make-A-Wish Israel. Exposure to the charity, teamed with her lifelong passion for art, led her to consider ways in which she might be able to harness the global community of artists and galleries she had fostered, to raise funds for children living with critical illnesses. As such, in 2017, Batia founded ‘Art of Wishes’, to do exactly that; bring together the international art community to raise funds for Make-A-Wish UK.

To date, Art of Wishes has raised over £12 million and granted approximately 5,000 wishes. Under Batia’s leadership, the organisation grows on an annual basis and is celebrated for its ability to raise funds and drive forward the Make-A-Wish agenda. The charity has worked with artists that include, Tracey Emin, Anish Kapoor and Jenny Saville.

In addition to her interest in the arts, Batia is passionate about fostering the leaders of tomorrow, irrespective of background and circumstance, through the education and training of young people. She has been instrumental in establishing scholarship programs to world renowned universities such as Brown and Harvard and is an ardent supporter of female involvement in all leadership circles. Accordingly, The Royal Academy of Arts, held a tribute to Batia in March 2023, to mark International Women’s Day and celebrate her support of aspirational young women.

Batia also sits on the board of trustees of the Royal Academy of Arts in London and is a member of the International Council of Sotheby’s. She is also a trustee of the Peres Centre for Peace and Innovation. In 2022 and 2023, ‘Art News’ magazine named Batia and her husband, two of the most important two hundred art collectors globally.

Batia was born in Israel but spent most of her childhood in South Africa. At the age of 18, she returned to Israel to enlist in the Israel Defence Forces, where she served as a casualty officer. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration from York University in Toronto. She resides in London with her husband and their children.