Bank of Israel Senior Official to Retire After 40 Years

Gabi Fishman, the Acting Head of the Information and Statistics Division and Director of the Statistics Department at the Bank of Israel, will conclude his 40-year tenure at the central bank at the end of September. Fishman joined the Bank of Israel as a researcher in the Research Division and subsequently held numerous professional and managerial positions, including spokesperson for the Bank of Israel, supervisor of economic information, and advisor to Governors Prof. Yaakov Frenkel and Dr. David Klein. He later served as the economic advisor to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon before returning to the Bank of Israel as chief of staff to Governor Prof. Stanley Fischer. In this capacity, Fishman was responsible for areas including communications, government and community relations, and financial education. He was involved in significant economic reforms in Israel, such as disinflation processes, foreign currency liberalization, and the enactment of the new Bank of Israel Law. Fishman also co-founded the Information and Statistics Division and has since served as its statistics director and deputy head. In recent months, he acted as the division's interim head. Additionally, Fishman undertook various cross-bank roles, focusing in recent years on management development. Governor of the Bank of Israel, Prof. Amir Yaron, expressed gratitude for Fishman's extensive contributions, particularly in advancing the Information and Statistics Division and integrating data into the bank's decision-making processes. Fishman, in his farewell remarks, highlighted his pride in the division's work, especially its preparation for the AI era and its recognition of data as a strategic asset. He thanked the bank governors he served under and his colleagues for their trust and support.