Carrefour Israel Appoints New PR Firm Amidst Major Changes

Carrefour Israel has appointed Moshe Dabby Communications to manage its public relations efforts, marking a significant first for the supermarket chain in engaging an external PR firm. This move comes shortly after Inbal Harson took the helm as the new CEO last month, succeeding Michael Luboschitz as co-chairman alongside Electra Consumer Products CEO Zvika Schwimmer. The company is gearing up for a major initial public offering in November, which will see the Zalkind family relinquish control of the international supermarket chain in Israel. The Zalkind brothers currently hold their stake through a series of companies, with "Elco" controlling "Electra Consumer Products," which in turn owns 49% of Carrefour.

Harson's appointment and the subsequent PR firm selection are part of her initial strategic moves, particularly in light of recent criticisms the chain faced regarding its inclusion in the state's "food basket" initiative, spearheaded by Economy Minister Nir Barkat. The previous head of Carrefour's spokesperson unit, Yarden Daida, departed in July after a two-year tenure. Moshe Dabby Communications' new role represents its first venture into managing PR for a supermarket chain in Israel, a sector where some companies, like Rami Levy and Shufersal (which recently parted ways with Raanan Rahav), still opt for in-house communication teams.

Marina Digmi, deputy CEO at Dabby Communications, will lead the account. This contract is a notable achievement for Moshe Dabby, coming soon after his firm secured the prestigious account for AliExpress, managing the strategy for the Chinese giant's significant entry into the Israeli market.