Israel Tapoohi
Encyclopedia
Israel "Izzy" Tapoohi is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Development Corporation for Israel (also known as State of Israel Bonds
). He is an Israeli executive and an accountant, by profession. He has held director positions on the boards of numerous Israeli and international companies and has recently been involved with real estate and venture capital investments. He has served as the Chairman of the Board of Bezeq
Israel Telecom Ltd. and Africa-Israel Investments Ltd.
and raised in Melbourne, Australia. He received a bachelor's degree in Business Administration Accounting and Economics from University of Melbourne
in 1969 and completed additional coursework in Computerization of Financial Systems in 1973. Tapoohi completed a course in Tax and Company Law from Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) in 1972. He has been a public accountant in Australia
since 1974 and a certified public accountant in Israel
since 1981. He completed additional coursework offered by the Auditors' Council (Israel) in Commercial, Company and Tax Law in 1980. Tapoohi is married and the father of three daughters and one son.
Australia in Sydney in 1977. Concurrently, he also served on the committee for current cost accounting of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Australia
.
, Australia
and served as chairman of the local Aliyah
organization. In 1979, he immigrated with his family to Israel, where he first worked at the auditing firm Luboshitz-Kasierer & Co. In 1981, Tapoohi was accepted to the Institute of Certified Public Accountants in Israel. In 1984 he was appointed Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary of Pioneer Israel. In 1989 he became its Deputy General Manager and a member of its Board of Directors. Pioneer Israel operates concrete plants, quarries, asphalt plants and vehicles to transport raw materials for construction. In addition to his role at Pioneer Israel, Tapoohi served in various capacities for Pioneer International, one of the largest public companies in Australia. In these functions he was involved in international financing transactions, dividend planning, international procurement transactions, and the acquisition of businesses, particularly during the privatization process in Eastern Europe.
Tapoohi served as Chairman of the Board of Africa-Israel Investments Ltd. in 1996 and, in 1997, was appointed Chairman of the Board of Bezeq
Israel Telecom Ltd., a position in which he remained until July 2000. During his tenure at Bezeq, Israel's largest telecommunications provider and, at the time, the largest corporation in Israel, Tapoohi guided the company through increasing competition in the international telecommunication market and began preparations for privatization of the telecom giant which was completed in 2005.
In July 2000, Mr. Tapoohi founded InQsoft Ltd., where he was CEO until 2004. This company was established to evaluate and recommend investments in early-stage hi-tech startups to a group of top-level international investors. From 2002 to 2008, Mr. Tapoohi served on the Board of Directors of the Strauss Group Ltd. and from 2003 to 2008 was a Director and the Chairman of the Audit Committee of Harel Insurance Investments. Mr. Tapoohi was a Director of Israel Electric Corporation
from 2004 to 2007 and was a member of the Board of Directors of Tadiran Communications Ltd. in 2005.
In the beginning of 2007, Mr. Tapoohi, together with a number of prominent Israeli businesspeople, established More Group International Real Estate. The group develops real estate in Eastern Europe, primarily in Montenegro
. In June 2010, Mr. Tapoohi was appointed Chairman of Tel Aviv Centennial Properties Ltd., a company which overseas shareholders that invest in and manage retail properties in the center of Tel Aviv
.
Mr. Tapoohi currently serves as Director and Chairman of the Audit Committee of Shikun VeBinui Holdings Ltd. Mr. Tapoohi was also a member of the Board of Directors of Paz Oil Company Ltd., Paz Ashdod Refinery Ltd., Menora Mivtachim Holdings Ltd.,.
and the Committee of the Association of Publicly-Listed Companies on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange
.
He currently serves as a member of the Directorate of the Israel - Australia Chamber of Commerce, the Israel - Switzerland Chamber of Commerce, and the Israel - British Business Council. Through December 2010, Tapoohi served as a member of the Directorate of the Israel - British Chamber of Commerce, and from 2004 to 2006, on the Israel-American Chamber of Commerce.
From 1996 to 1999, Mr. Tapoohi acted as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
's liaison to foreign investors and was the coordinator of the think-tank that advised Netanyahu
on economic policy. Mr. Tapoohi was the treasurer, on a voluntary basis, of the Likud Party from May 1993 until April 1997. Mr. Tapoohi's served as Co-chairman of the 50th Anniversary Jubilee Conference for business investment in Israel in 1998.
In March 2009, Mr. Tapoohi joined the "100 days" team that was involved with preparing for the second Netanyahu
government with economic guidelines and policies necessary to stabilize Israel's economy during the global recession. As a certified accountant and economist, Mr. Tapoohi focused on the macro-economic sections of the "100 days" report. Since May 2009, Mr. Tapoohi has been a member of a forum of businessmen, economists, and academics that advises the Minister of Finance on macro-economic policy.
State of Israel Bonds
State of Israel Bonds are debt securities issued by the Government of Israel.State of Israel Bonds is also the more familiar name of the underwriter of the bonds in the United States. The company is officially known as Development Corporation for Israel...
). He is an Israeli executive and an accountant, by profession. He has held director positions on the boards of numerous Israeli and international companies and has recently been involved with real estate and venture capital investments. He has served as the Chairman of the Board of Bezeq
Bezeq
Bezeq, the Israeli company for communications, is a telecommunications provider in Israel.Until the mid-first decade of the 21st century when it was owned by the Israeli government, Bezeq had a monopoly on landline telephony and Internet access infrastructure...
Israel Telecom Ltd. and Africa-Israel Investments Ltd.
Background
Tapoohi was born in IsraelIsrael
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and raised in Melbourne, Australia. He received a bachelor's degree in Business Administration Accounting and Economics from University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
in 1969 and completed additional coursework in Computerization of Financial Systems in 1973. Tapoohi completed a course in Tax and Company Law from Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) in 1972. He has been a public accountant in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
since 1974 and a certified public accountant in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
since 1981. He completed additional coursework offered by the Auditors' Council (Israel) in Commercial, Company and Tax Law in 1980. Tapoohi is married and the father of three daughters and one son.
Australia
Tapoohi's professional career began in 1970 at the Australian branch of Westinghouse Electric Corporation. In 1972 he joined the Dutch company Royal Philips Electronics at its Australian subsidiary. He became Group Accountant of PhilipsPhilips
Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. , more commonly known as Philips, is a multinational Dutch electronics company....
Australia in Sydney in 1977. Concurrently, he also served on the committee for current cost accounting of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Australia
Institute of Chartered Accountants of Australia
The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia is the professional accounting body representing Chartered Accountants in Australia. It has over 50,000 members and has some 12,000 students. It is a founding member of the Global Accounting Alliance .-History:The Institute of Chartered...
.
Israel
Tapoohi was a Zionist activist in New South WalesNew South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and served as chairman of the local Aliyah
Aliyah
Aliyah is the immigration of Jews to the Land of Israel . It is a basic tenet of Zionist ideology. The opposite action, emigration from Israel, is referred to as yerida . The return to the Holy Land has been a Jewish aspiration since the Babylonian exile...
organization. In 1979, he immigrated with his family to Israel, where he first worked at the auditing firm Luboshitz-Kasierer & Co. In 1981, Tapoohi was accepted to the Institute of Certified Public Accountants in Israel. In 1984 he was appointed Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary of Pioneer Israel. In 1989 he became its Deputy General Manager and a member of its Board of Directors. Pioneer Israel operates concrete plants, quarries, asphalt plants and vehicles to transport raw materials for construction. In addition to his role at Pioneer Israel, Tapoohi served in various capacities for Pioneer International, one of the largest public companies in Australia. In these functions he was involved in international financing transactions, dividend planning, international procurement transactions, and the acquisition of businesses, particularly during the privatization process in Eastern Europe.
Tapoohi served as Chairman of the Board of Africa-Israel Investments Ltd. in 1996 and, in 1997, was appointed Chairman of the Board of Bezeq
Bezeq
Bezeq, the Israeli company for communications, is a telecommunications provider in Israel.Until the mid-first decade of the 21st century when it was owned by the Israeli government, Bezeq had a monopoly on landline telephony and Internet access infrastructure...
Israel Telecom Ltd., a position in which he remained until July 2000. During his tenure at Bezeq, Israel's largest telecommunications provider and, at the time, the largest corporation in Israel, Tapoohi guided the company through increasing competition in the international telecommunication market and began preparations for privatization of the telecom giant which was completed in 2005.
In July 2000, Mr. Tapoohi founded InQsoft Ltd., where he was CEO until 2004. This company was established to evaluate and recommend investments in early-stage hi-tech startups to a group of top-level international investors. From 2002 to 2008, Mr. Tapoohi served on the Board of Directors of the Strauss Group Ltd. and from 2003 to 2008 was a Director and the Chairman of the Audit Committee of Harel Insurance Investments. Mr. Tapoohi was a Director of Israel Electric Corporation
Israel Electric Corporation
Israel Electric Corporation is the main supplier of electrical power in Israel.IEC builds, maintains and operates power generation stations, sub-stations, as well as the transmission and distribution networks....
from 2004 to 2007 and was a member of the Board of Directors of Tadiran Communications Ltd. in 2005.
In the beginning of 2007, Mr. Tapoohi, together with a number of prominent Israeli businesspeople, established More Group International Real Estate. The group develops real estate in Eastern Europe, primarily in Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
. In June 2010, Mr. Tapoohi was appointed Chairman of Tel Aviv Centennial Properties Ltd., a company which overseas shareholders that invest in and manage retail properties in the center of Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
.
Mr. Tapoohi currently serves as Director and Chairman of the Audit Committee of Shikun VeBinui Holdings Ltd. Mr. Tapoohi was also a member of the Board of Directors of Paz Oil Company Ltd., Paz Ashdod Refinery Ltd., Menora Mivtachim Holdings Ltd.,.
Public Service
Tapoohi has gained substantial prominence for his public service. He served on the Weizmann Institute's Board of Governors. He was also a member of the Council and Advisory Committee of the Bank of IsraelBank of Israel
The Bank of Israel is the central bank of Israel. It is located in Kiryat HaMemshala in Israel's capital city of Jerusalem, with a branch office in Tel Aviv. The current governor is Stanley Fischer.-History:...
and the Committee of the Association of Publicly-Listed Companies on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange
Tel Aviv Stock Exchange
The Tel Aviv Stock Exchange in Tel Aviv is Israel's only stock exchange.The TASE is the only public market for trading securities in Israel. It plays a major role in the Israeli economy....
.
He currently serves as a member of the Directorate of the Israel - Australia Chamber of Commerce, the Israel - Switzerland Chamber of Commerce, and the Israel - British Business Council. Through December 2010, Tapoohi served as a member of the Directorate of the Israel - British Chamber of Commerce, and from 2004 to 2006, on the Israel-American Chamber of Commerce.
From 1996 to 1999, Mr. Tapoohi acted as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Benjamin Netanyahu
Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu is the current Prime Minister of Israel. He serves also as the Chairman of the Likud Party, as a Knesset member, as the Health Minister of Israel, as the Pensioner Affairs Minister of Israel and as the Economic Strategy Minister of Israel.Netanyahu is the first and, to...
's liaison to foreign investors and was the coordinator of the think-tank that advised Netanyahu
Netanyahu
Netanyahu is a surname, and may refer to the following members of the Netanyahu family in Israel.First generation:* Benzion Netanyahu , scholar of Jewish history, Zionist activist, professor emeritus of Cornell University, author of The Origins of the Inquisition in Fifteenth-Century Spain and...
on economic policy. Mr. Tapoohi was the treasurer, on a voluntary basis, of the Likud Party from May 1993 until April 1997. Mr. Tapoohi's served as Co-chairman of the 50th Anniversary Jubilee Conference for business investment in Israel in 1998.
In March 2009, Mr. Tapoohi joined the "100 days" team that was involved with preparing for the second Netanyahu
Netanyahu
Netanyahu is a surname, and may refer to the following members of the Netanyahu family in Israel.First generation:* Benzion Netanyahu , scholar of Jewish history, Zionist activist, professor emeritus of Cornell University, author of The Origins of the Inquisition in Fifteenth-Century Spain and...
government with economic guidelines and policies necessary to stabilize Israel's economy during the global recession. As a certified accountant and economist, Mr. Tapoohi focused on the macro-economic sections of the "100 days" report. Since May 2009, Mr. Tapoohi has been a member of a forum of businessmen, economists, and academics that advises the Minister of Finance on macro-economic policy.
External links
- http://www.charteredaccountants.com.au/
- http://ibmag.com/Main/Archive/Partners_Progress_8924.aspx
- Bezeq Israel Telecom Ltd. Investor Relations
- The Strauss Group Homepage
- Menora Mivtachim Holdings Ltd. Experts in Insurance Pension Finance
Paz Oil Company Ltd.