Nir Barkat: From Tech Pioneer to Economy Minister
Translated & summarized from Srugim by baba
Nir Barkat, Israel's Minister of Economy and Industry, has a diverse background including military service, tech entrepreneurship, and serving as Mayor of Jerusalem. He was a paratrooper, co-founded a tech company, and made a significant investment in Check Point. Barkat served as Mayor of Jerusalem for ten years, focusing on development and even apprehending a terrorist. He entered the Knesset in 2019 and has been leading economic reforms as minister since 2022.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Nir Barkat served as Mayor of Jerusalem for ten years, from 2008 to 2018.
- He is the current Minister of Economy and Industry, a role he assumed in 2022.
- Barkat was a co-founder of the pioneering Israeli software company BRM.
- He was a combat soldier in the Paratroopers Brigade and was wounded in Lebanon in 1980.
- Barkat famously accepted only a one-shekel salary annually during his time as mayor.
- He apprehended a terrorist with his bare hands near Jerusalem's city hall in 2015.
Nir Barkat, Israel's current Minister of Economy and Industry, has had a multifaceted career spanning military service, high-tech entrepreneurship, and public service as the mayor of Jerusalem. To mark his birthday, this profile highlights ten key facts about his unconventional journey.
Barkat began his public service in the military, enlisting in the Paratroopers Brigade in 1977. He rose through the ranks to become a company commander and was wounded in battle in Lebanon in 1980.
Transitioning to the private sector, Barkat was a co-founder of the software company BRM in 1988, a pioneer in information security and antivirus software. A significant business success was his early investment in Check Point, which yielded substantial returns and made him one of Israel's wealthiest businessmen.
Following his business career, Barkat engaged in philanthropy, establishing the "Snunit" foundation to promote computer-based education and investing in various social and educational initiatives with his wife, Beverly. During his tenure as mayor of Jerusalem, he famously chose to receive only a symbolic salary of one shekel per year.
Barkat served two consecutive terms as Mayor of Jerusalem from 2008 to 2018, focusing on tourism development, youth culture, attracting high-tech companies, and promoting the city's international marathon. In a notable incident in February 2015, he and his security guard apprehended a terrorist who was stabbing civilians near the mayor's office.
He entered national politics in 2019, elected to the Knesset for the Likud party, where he has consistently secured high positions due to his popularity among party members. Since 2022, as Minister of Economy and Industry, he has been driving reforms in import policies, deregulation, and competition enhancement. Barkat, a Jerusalem native and son of Professor Zalman Barkat, holds a bachelor's degree in computer science from the Hebrew University and is married with three daughters.
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