Militaryשמשון הראל

Shimshon Harel

Shimshon Harel is an Israeli businessman in real estate and infrastructure who founded America Israel Investments and chairs the board of the Weizmann Institute of Science.

born 1947Founding America Israel InvestmentsChairing the Weizmann Institute boardBuilding Sammy Ofer Stadium

Born: 18 March 1947, Haifa
Occupation: manager

Shimshon Harel was born in 1947 in Haifa

Shimshon Harel was born in Haifa on March 18, 1947. His parents had immigrated from Austria. He finished high school at Hugim High School.

After high school he served in the Armored Corps. When he left the army he moved to Rotterdam. He earned a bachelor's degree in economics and then a doctorate in business administration from Erasmus University.

In Europe he worked as an assistant to industrialist Oscar van Leer. He returned to Israel in 1977 and became a vice president of Israel Shipyards, then marketing manager at Alliance Tire and Rubber in 1978. From 1986 he worked at Africa Israel Investments for 11 years, rising to deputy CEO.

In 1997 he founded America Israel Investments with Danny Marian. The company builds residential neighborhoods in Rishon LeZion, Haifa, Tel Aviv and other cities. He led the Sammy Ofer Stadium project in Haifa as a volunteer, and it was completed in 2014.

He chairs the boards of the Weizmann Institute of Science and its friends association, and sits on the Board of Governors of the University of Haifa. He also serves on several corporate boards. He is married to Orna, has 2 daughters and lives in Tel Aviv.