Most people know Safra Catz as Oracle’s powerful CEO. But behind her success stands Gal Tirosh, her husband of nearly three decades.
This Israeli-American chooses privacy over spotlight. He’s built a unique role supporting one of tech’s most influential leaders while pursuing his own interests.
Who is Gal Tirosh?
Gal Tirosh gained recognition through his marriage to Safra Catz, Oracle Corporation’s CEO. He maintains a deliberately private profile while playing a significant supporting role.
Born and raised in Israel, his upbringing was shaped by strong cultural values and community connections that continue influencing his life today.
His family history includes both tragedy and resilience. His father was killed during the Six-Day War, and Chabad provided him with a bar mitzvah ceremony.
This experience left a lasting impact on his family’s religious and cultural identity, shaping the values he would later bring to his own family.
Marriage and Family Life
Tirosh married Safra Catz in 1997, creating what became one of Silicon Valley’s most enduring and successful partnerships in the technology industry.
The couple has two sons: Daniel (also called Gary) and Jonathan (also called Scott). Both children have grown up balancing their Israeli heritage with American culture.
Their son Daniel played collegiate soccer at UC Santa Cruz, maintaining a 3.75 GPA while competing for the men’s soccer team for three years. This achievement reflects the family’s commitment to both academics and athletics.
The family currently lives in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, though they maintain strong connections to both Israel and California through business and personal relationships.
Professional Background and Career
Before transitioning to a more private role, Gal Tirosh pursued a career in soccer coaching, working specifically in youth development and training programs.
He worked as a soccer coach in Palo Alto, California, where he was involved in developing young players and building their skills on the field.
His coaching background reflects his Israeli origins, where soccer serves as both a popular sport and important cultural connection for many families and communities.
Tirosh has also been described as a writer and has taken on mentoring roles within his community, though he keeps these professional activities deliberately private.
The Stay-at-Home Father Decision
Perhaps most notably, Gal Tirosh made the unconventional decision in the early 2000s to become a stay-at-home father, supporting Safra Catz’s demanding Oracle career.
This arrangement was considered ahead of its time. As Catz noted in a 2000 Fortune interview: “Absolutely, I could not do what I do without my husband at home.”
His willingness to take on primary childcare responsibilities enabled Catz to focus on her executive duties without the typical constraints many working mothers face.
This decision challenged traditional gender roles and demonstrated how modern partnerships can adapt to support both partners’ career goals and family needs effectively.
Supporting Oracle’s Success
Tirosh’s partnership with Safra Catz has been instrumental in her ability to lead Oracle Corporation effectively through major business transformations and strategic decisions.
Industry observers have noted that his willingness to manage family responsibilities has allowed Catz to focus on major business decisions, including Oracle’s numerous acquisitions.
Oracle’s strategic pivots toward cloud computing and enterprise software solutions have required intense focus and long hours that might not have been possible otherwise.
Through his marriage to Catz and his own Israeli background, Tirosh maintains connections to Israel’s technology sector, where Oracle employs approximately 500 people.
Privacy and Public Profile
Unlike many Silicon Valley spouses, Gal Tirosh has consistently maintained a low public profile, rarely appearing in media coverage or seeking spotlight attention.
He has avoided the attention that often comes with being married to a high-profile CEO, making this privacy preference a deliberate personal choice.
There are no recent interviews, blog posts, or expert commentary directly attributed to Gal Tirosh in major publications or technology industry media outlets.
His public presence is primarily referenced in profiles of his wife or in connection with philanthropic activities rather than independent media coverage or interviews.
Current Activities and Interests
Recent information indicates that Tirosh has expanded into media production, with IMDb crediting him as a producer for “Women of the IDF,” a 2025 television series.
This project suggests his involvement in highlighting Israeli themes and women’s contributions, connecting his personal heritage with his professional creative interests.
Tirosh and Catz have been active philanthropists, particularly supporting Jewish and Israeli causes through various charitable organizations and community development programs.
They are listed among the major donors to Camp Tawonga, a Jewish summer camp, where they contributed at the “El Capitan” level in 2019.
While maintaining his privacy, Tirosh has occasionally participated in mentoring activities, including Techstars Tel Aviv Accelerator’s mentor programs for startup companies.
Industry Recognition and Impact
Within Silicon Valley circles, Gal Tirosh is recognized as an exemplary supportive partner who has enabled significant business success through his family commitments.
His model of partnership has been cited in discussions about work-life balance and dual-career couples in high-pressure technology and business industries.
The Tirosh-Catz partnership has contributed to conversations about flexible family arrangements in executive leadership, demonstrating that traditional gender roles need not constrain corporate success.
Conclusion
Gal Tirosh represents a unique figure in Silicon Valley’s ecosystem—someone who has achieved significant influence not through direct business leadership, but through strategic partnership.
His Israeli background, coaching experience, and commitment to privacy have shaped a distinctive profile that challenges conventional expectations about power couples in technology.
While Tirosh may not seek public recognition, his role in enabling one of technology’s most successful female executives makes him noteworthy for understanding partnership dynamics.
His story illustrates how supportive relationships can facilitate professional excellence, particularly in demanding industries like enterprise technology where personal sacrifice often enables business success.