Wiz flies employees to Thailand for luxury vacation featuring $4 million Katy Perry concert
The five-day getaway in Thailand’s Khao Lak resort area included a private performance by the pop star. The trip adds to Wiz’s history of lavish employee events, from a private version of “Survivor” in Mauritius to a star-studded Purim party in Tel Aviv.
Israeli cybersecurity company Wiz, which was acquired by Google for $32 billion, flew its employees to the luxury resort area of Khao Lak in Thailand last week for a five-day vacation. The trip included a surprise performance by international pop star Katy Perry. The cost of the vacation is estimated at tens of millions of shekels, while Perry's private performance, including her fee and production expenses, is estimated to have cost approximately $3-4 million.
The vacation included stays at a high-end resort and a series of parties for employees. The highlight was a private concert by Perry, who performed several of her hits, including "I Kissed a Girl."
This was not the first time Perry had performed at a private event for a substantial fee. In February 2024, she performed at the Melbourne estate of Australian billionaire Anthony Pratt at an event attended by Australia's prime minister and other senior officials
Her appearance in Australia sparked a pro-Palestinian protest, with dozens of demonstrators gathering outside the estate to criticize the attendees and call for the liberation of Palestine. The protesters argued that while the wealthy and famous were celebrating, people in Gaza were suffering from bombardment and starvation.
Perry's performance for employees of an Israeli company has also drawn criticism online. Discussion of the event surfaced on the international music forum ATRL, where users criticized her decision to take part. One user said they had seen posts by Thai citizens complaining about "Zionist tourists," adding that not only were they coming to Thailand, but they were bringing Katy Perry with them. Another expressed disappointment in the singer, while a third criticized pop stars who publicly champion social causes but agree to perform at private events for wealthy individuals and large corporations in exchange for substantial fees.
This is not the first time Wiz, founded by Assaf Rappaport and his partners, has spent heavily on employee events. In February, the company held its traditional Purim party at Expo Tel Aviv. The event, themed "Wizcotheque" and inspired by ABBA, was estimated to have cost approximately NIS 10 million. It featured more than 20 Israeli artists, including Ninet Tayeb, Shiri Maimon, Sarit Hadad, Eden Ben Zaken and Pe'er Tasi.
Wiz has also organized lavish events in previous years. Among other initiatives, it flew dozens of employees to Mauritius to take part in a private version of the reality show "Survivor." In March 2022, the company hosted a corporate event themed around Disney songs, featuring performances by Sarit Hadad, Berry Sakharof, Noa Kirel and Maor Cohen. The event also brought Ninet Tayeb and Ran Danker together on stage.
In March 2026, Wiz held its annual sales event in Las Vegas, attended by dozens of employees from Israel despite the ongoing war. The event featured a performance by American rapper Pitbull and a production built around the concept of a fictional airline called "WizAir."
