LUXE
Chagit, an actual member of the Leviev clan, to talk about her life and career.
from Zara to the diamond department. She then decided to work outside the family business, joining the consulting firm Deloitte, in order to gain knowledge and experience. It was tough, often requiring long hours and sacrificing time spent with family. “It really gave me good experience of what it is to be just another employee,” she explains. A few years later, her father offered her the job as CFO of Memorand Group, a holding company, ignoring Chagit’s protests that since she was still quite young and had recently had a baby, she was unsuited for the position. “You can do it. It’s yours. Good luck,” he told her. “This is just who my father is,” she says of her dad, Lev Leviev, a renowned businessman and philanthropist, founder of the Leviev Group and famous for having broken the world’s diamond monopoly that was once controlled by De Beers. “He always throws us into the deep water and trusts us to figure out how to swim out.”
Life-changing Move to U.S. Chagit Leivev’s move to New York in 2012 at age 25 Chagit Leviev & Family to take over the company’s US arm turned out to be the biggest turning point of her life. The welcome was not quite what she expected; facing some resistance, she had to gain control of the company and recalibrate the way the business had been operating until then. “I was 25 when I moved to New York, and I couldn’t believe my strength and the capabilities I found within myself. It really turned me into the person that I am today,” she says. After arriving in New York, she was also CEO of the real estate firm Africa Israel USA, which is behind prominent Manhattan residential projects including District at 111 Fulton Street; 20 Pine - The Collection by Armani Casa; 15 Broad - Downtown by Philippe Starck; The Apthorp; and 88 Leonard Street, as well as The Marquis Residences on Brickell Avenue in Miami. Chagit’s expertise in real estate financing, investment, development, asset management Faith, Family is Central and leasing came into play in 2015, as she presided Raised in an Orthodox Jewish family, Shabbat over the firm’s sale of the former New York Times was always devoted to family, “My parents have building in Times Square. been together for over 45 years, raising nine kids and now dozens of grandchildren,” says Chagit. Corporate Rise “Family has always been a priority. No matter Growing up, Chagit’s family moved often, how busy my father was, and how many countries between Israel, Belgium and the U.K., and she he was traveling to every week, on Shabbat, he is fluent in six languages, something she considers would be back home with all of us.” an advantage in business. “People shouldn’t gossip Even with her high-pressure job, Chagit continues next to me in another language because I’m that tradition. Disconnecting completely from probably going to understand it,” she quips. work and being with family provides a separation, While she always knew she would join the and allows her to regain strength and energy for family business, she didn’t know in what capacity. the week ahead. One of nine siblings, Chagit observed her older sisters’ experiences upon entering the company. Philanthropy “You always get judged when you are the daughter Her parents have always been passionate about of the boss. People consider you incapable, not charity, and through their philanthropic efforts smart enough, bossy,” she says. After graduating have established hundreds of schools, community from Bar Ilan University, she did a round of short centers, temples, orphanages and hospitals internships at various divisions in the company, worldwide. The Heart Center at Sheba Medical
Center in Israel is named for Ms. Leviev’s parents. Chagit continues that legacy, striving to make a difference in the world and help those less fortunate by working with many charities focusing on community, education, and women’s empowerment. Jewish Woman Entrepreneur She serves as president of a school in Queens established by her family, and sits on the boards of various organizations including the Jewish Woman Entrepreneur, or JWE, which provides women with resources, education, mentorship and connections to achieve their personal and professional goals, and Batsheva, which offers motivational support to empower accomplished career women. Chagit is on the executive committee and also serves as a business mentor for Ezras Nashim, a group of all-female EMTs in the Orthodox community. “They have saved many lives, delivered babies. It does incredible work, and is something that I love to support,” she says. As a business leader, wife, and mother of four, she is sought-after as a speaker by women’s organizations, eager to learn how she juggles these demanding roles. Many follow her on Instagram, where - somehow - Chagit finds time to promote her charitable endeavors. She also took to the platform shortly after the Netflix documentary came out in February to clarify that the Leviev family had had no connection with the scammer in any way. “I cannot fathom how our name got entangled with Netflix’s documentary, The Tinder Swindler,” she posted. “As it still seems to be unclear to many, I’d like to clarify that Simon is NOT a real brother of the Leviev family and has neither been a part of our company @llddiamonds. Shimon (Hayut by his real name) is a fraud who stole our identity, and has tried to exploit our good name to con victims out of millions of dollars. I feel terrible for his victims and for what they have been through.” She added that though her family hadn’t been aware of the extent of his fraud, they had reported him to the Israeli authorities on several occasions. P
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