Nir Barkat

His great-grandfather came from Russia to Mandatory Palestine in the 1920s, and died in 1924.

Nir Barkat (נִיר בַּרְקָת; born 19 October 1959) is an Israeli businessman and politician currently serving as Minister of Economy.

Barkat served in the Paratroopers Brigade of the Israel Defense Forces for six years (1977–1983), as well as reserve duty, and reached the rank of major.

Barkat was also wounded in combat in Lebanon.

Barkat holds a BA in computer science from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

He also studied for a master's degree in business administration at the same institution, but hasn't completed it.

Barkat and his wife Beverly, an artist, have three daughters.

The family lives in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Beit HaKerem.

Barkat started his career in the high-tech industry by founding a software company called BRM in 1988, which specialized in antivirus software.

Later, the company became an incubator venture firm that invested in several companies such as Check Point and Backweb.

He later helped found the social investment company IVN, Israel Venture Network.

In 1999, the Barkat family began to explore the educational gaps in Jerusalem through their investment in The Snunit Center for the Advancement of Web Based Learning, a non-profit, non-governmental organization which uses web based resources to improve online education and improve personal and social growth within the Israeli society.

Barkat saw this investment as the beginning of his interest in entering into Jerusalem's municipal politics.

Barkat's official entry into politics began in January 2003, when he founded the party Yerushalayim Tatzli'ah ("Jerusalem Will Succeed") and ran in the Jerusalem mayoral race, securing 43% of the vote and losing to Uri Lupoliansky.

He briefly led the Jerusalem faction of the Kadima party from 2006 - 2007, then a powerhouse in Israeli politics, but left due to disagreements with the proposal to relinquish portions of Jerusalem.

In 2007, Barkat took part in the Israeli version of Dragons' Den, the venture-capitalist television program, which consists of entrepreneurs pitching their ideas in order to secure investment from business experts.

He served as mayor of Jerusalem between the years 2008–2018.

Nir Barkat was raised in Jerusalem.

His father, Zalman, was a professor of physics at the Hebrew University.

After his initial loss, Barkat served as head of the opposition on the city council until his election as mayor in 2008.

During this period he helped form StartUp Jerusalem, a venture to create jobs in the capital.

Barkat ran for a second time in November 2008, this time winning the election with 52% of the vote (his main rival, Meir Porush, won 43%).

Barkat was described as a secular politician, contrasting with both Lupoliansky and Porush, who are Haredi.

He ran on a platform of increasing tourism, finding solutions to the housing crisis, and opposing the light rail.

He also vowed to make city council more approachable and transparent and decried the use of the mayors office a stepping stone to national politics.

Controversies during his first term included the firing of city council member Rachel Azaria and his proposal for relinquishing predominantly Arab populated neighborhoods on the outskirts of the city limits.

He helped to initiate the city's first international marathon in 2011 and has personally participating in races both in Jerusalem and abroad.

Nir Barkat was named the 43rd most influential Jewish person in 2013.

According to Forbes in 2013, Barkat's net worth is estimated at NIS 450 million (about $122 million), more than the combined value of the next three politicians on the list making him the wealthiest Israeli politician.

On October 3, 2021, Barkat's name was included among 565 Israelis whose names were included in the Pandora papers.

As mayor, he did not take any salary from the city of Jerusalem.

Nir Barkat's entry into politics was gradual, after his exposure to and philanthropic investments in Jerusalem's education system.

In 2013, he ran for a second term, during which he was endorsed by the Labor Party, and also by a range of prominent Likud activists; he also had the tacit support of Meretz, which withdrew its candidate, Pepe Alalu, in order not to steal votes away from Barkat.

His opponent Moshe Lion had backing from Avigdor Lieberman, head of the Yisrael Beiteinu party and Aryeh Deri, head of Shas.

Barkat was re-elected with 52% of the vote compared to his main opponent Moshe Lion former head of the Jerusalem Development Authority, who ran as the Likud candidate who garnered 43% of the electorate.

The Jerusalem Formula One event took place in 2013 and in 2014 but garnered much criticism for street closures which led to school cancellations, over expenditures, and its appropriateness for the city.

Lion has since served as a member of city council and in 2015 joined Barkat's coalition.

Following the tense campaign, Barkat was fined NIS 400,000 for improper use of election funds.

Since his election as Mayor, Barkat has served the city for a salary of one shekel a year.

Controversies of his second term have included the Formula 1 exhibition, part of the mayor's effort to raise Jerusalem's status as a cultural capital of the world and increase tourism.