FORMER ISRAEL DISCOUNT BANK CHAIR IS FIRST ISRAELI TRUSTEE
The Russell Berrie Foundation is pleased to announce that Joseph “Yossi” Bachar, whose distinguished career in business, public service and academia includes nine years at the helm of Israel’s third largest bank and three years as director general of its Finance Ministry, has been elected to its Board of Trustees.
The first Israeli to join the Foundation’s board, Bachar brings a wealth of experience leading several of Israel’s most prominent institutions. He served as chairman of Israel Discount Bank from 2010 to 2018. At the Finance Ministry, his accomplishments included a comprehensive reform of the Israeli capital markets that became known as the "Bachar Reform."
“It is a pleasure to welcome Yossi as a trustee. His experience and extensive network in Israel are important assets that will enrich the work of The Russell Berrie Foundation," said Angelica Berrie, President of the Board of Trustees. “We look forward to working with Yossi to deepen our thinking on how to leverage our philanthropic investments in Israel.”
Bachar currently serves as co-chairman of Joint-Elka, a division of JDC Israel (and RBF grantee) that brings together leaders of Israel’s national and local governments, civil society and business communities to achieve measurable, sustainable social impact. He is chairman of the board of Haifa Group, a global leader in the development and manufacturing of specialty fertilizers, and serves as senior advisor in Israel to Rothschild & Co, the investment bank.
“As co-chair of Joint-Elka, I’ve had the opportunity to see first-hand how the Foundation amplifies the impact of its grant-making by truly partnering with its grantees and providing critical strategic support,” Bachar said. “I look forward to collaborating with the Foundation’s trustees and staff on important work such as this.”
Prior to joining the government, Bachar was managing partner of Arthur Andersen in Israel for almost eight years. In 2002, following the firm’s dissolution, he led the process of repositioning the Andersen practice in Israel. After serving as director general of Israel’s Ministry of Finance from 2003 to 2007, Bachar was asked by the Prime Minister to accept a temporary position leading the Israel Tax Authority, to stabilize the organization following a management crisis. He was the owner and managing director of a private consulting firm immediately before joining Israel Discount Bank in 2010.
Bachar has served as chairman of the management board of Haifa University, as a business school faculty member at Tel Aviv University and Columbia University and as a member of the Jewish Agency for Israel’s Board of Governors. He holds a BA from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, an Israeli CPA license and an MBA and PhD from the University of California, Berkeley. He and his wife Orit, the parents of four grown children, live in Tel Aviv.