Nir Barkat
| Nir Barkat | |
|---|---|
| ניר ברקת | |
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Nir Barkat, mayor of Jerusalem in 2010 at Chatham House
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| Mayor of Jerusalem | |
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Assumed office 11 November 2008 |
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| Preceded by | Uri Lupolianski |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
ניר ברקת 19 October 1959 Jerusalem, Israel |
| Political party | Likud |
| Spouse(s) | Beverly Barkat |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | Hebrew University of Jerusalem |
| Religion | Judaism |
Nir Barkat (Hebrew: ניר ברקת; born 19 October 1959) is an Israeli businessman, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and politician. He was first elected mayor of Jerusalem in 2008 and was re-elected for a second term in 2013. During his tenure, Barkat has "embrac[ed] new data-driven tools in hopes of improving life for all of his constituents," working to enhance culture, promote tourism, address social welfare issues, encourage the development of local high-tech, and provide opportunities for the ultra-Orthodox and Arab communities in Jerusalem.
Nir Barkat was born and raised in Jerusalem. His father, Zalman, was a professor of physics at the Hebrew University. He 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 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.
Nir Barkat was named the 43rd most influential Jewish person in 2013.
Barkat started his career in the hi-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 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.
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