New Israel Electric chairman quits, slams political intervention

Newly appointed Israel Electric Corp. chairman Dov Baharav has announced his resignation even before he assumed his new position. He said, “Less than three weeks ago, at the meeting in which you chose me to serve as company chairman, I promised to bring to the job management capabilities that would contribute to the company’s performance and to continue implementing the reform and to add breakthrough changes to the larges government company in Israel.”

Baharav harshly criticized the conduct that he found at Israel Electric Corp. “I came prepared to cope with hard work and complex management challenges but to my major regret in the few but intensive weeks that have passed since I was chosen, during which proceeding were conducted to choose a CEO for the company and a procedure to locate a replacement for the secretary to the board of directors. I was exposed to aggressive intervention of political considerations by the board of directors and people in management such as I have not previously seen in the senior positions that I have filled in leading companies in the economy.”

Baharav was reportedly unable to get his own candidate chosen as secretary to the board due to intervention by Minister of National Infrastructures, Energy and Water Resources Karine Elharrar.

Baharav added, “To the best of my judgement, this conduct might harm the company and its proper management. With this in mind I have decided to leave immediately the job and the board. I again thank the Minister of Energy and Minister of Finance for the appointment and regret the reality that does not allow me to fulfil it.”

Elharrar said, “I received with regret the announcement from Dov Baharav of his resignation from the board of the Israel Electric Corp. With even greater regret I heard the serious evidence of political dealings and pushing aside professional considerations to the margins by some members of the board of directors, conduct that I will not support. I will continue to work with the aim of bringing in professional, proper and the right management for Israel’s biggest government company.”

Published by Globes, Israel business news – en.globes.co.il – on April 26, 2022.

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