Google Israel CEO Reflects on Major Deals and Future Growth

Barak Regev, CEO of Google Israel for the past nine years, discussed the company's significant growth and future plans in an interview with "Yedioth Ahronoth's" finance supplement. He highlighted the continued strength of Israeli tech talent, while also noting challenges like instability and employee attrition. Regev recalled an incident at a "Calcalist" conference in New York where a Google employee protested the "Nimbus" project, accusing it of enabling genocide and apartheid. The employee was subsequently fired. Regev clarified that Google Cloud's services for governments, including Israel, are not intended for highly sensitive, classified, or military uses related to weapons or intelligence.

Despite protests, Google Israel has expanded, notably acquiring Wiz for $32 billion, its largest acquisition ever, and planning a move to a new headquarters in the ToHa2 tower in Tel Aviv. Regev stated this move solidifies Google's presence in Israel for at least a decade, alongside substantial investments in chip development. He also touched upon the impact of AI on search, emphasizing that while advertising remains the primary revenue source, cloud and AI services are rapidly growing, enhancing search capabilities without replacing the classic search model.

Google currently employs around 2,500 people in Israel, or approximately 3,000 including Wiz. The new Tel Aviv headquarters will span 60,000 square meters and house about 2,000 employees. The four-year-old chip division is described as Google Israel's fastest-growing unit. Regev expressed immense pride in the Wiz acquisition, calling it a moment of collective joy for the company. He advised aspiring Google employees to gain experience early, even through student positions, suggesting that starting from the bottom can lead to significant career advancement.