Meir Shamir

Meir Shamir Investor and Philanthropist Meir Shamir is an Israeli businessman, the CEO and owner of Mivtach-Shamir Holdings Ltd. Shamir is also the chairman of the Israeli Taglit Society and donates regularly to a variety of social causes, both privately and corporately. Personal Bio Shamir was born in 1951 in Kibbutz Be’erot Yitzhak. At the age of five, he moved to Petah Tikva with his family, where he was raised and educated. After graduating from the Akiva Nechalim High School Yeshiva, Shamir joined the IDF where he served as a combat navigator in the ‘Hammers’ Air Force unit and took part in the Yom Kippur War. Once his service ended, not long after the war, Shamir went on to pursue a higher education at the Bar Ilan University. He achieved a BA in Economics and Business Administration and began working as an insurance agent for Mivtach Insurance, where he would later become owner and CEO. In 2009, he received an honorary doctorate from Bar Ilan University in recognition of his significant contribution to Israeli society and business. His net worth is estimated at $150 million. Meir Shamir is married to Prof. Adina Shamir, with whom he has three children. Career and Business Achievements Shamir started his career selling Mivtach life insurance to Kibbutz members across the country. However, before long, at the young age of 30, he purchased half of Mivtach's company-shares. Not long after, he purchased the remaining 50% and became sole owner and head of the board. Shamir changed the company’s name to Mivtach Shamir Ltd. and led it to become a key player in the Israeli insurance industry. During the 1990s, Shamir changed the company's purpose. He sold off the insurance business and turned Mivtach into an internationally active investment company – Mivtach Shamir Holdings Ltd. Under Shamir, the company grew its value significantly, increasing it by NIS 595 million in 13 years: In 1992 the company was valuated at NIS 20 million and in 2005 it was valuated at NIS 615 million. Today, Mivtach Shamir Holdings is a major player in the international investment sector, specifically in the areas of hi-tech, commercial enterprise and real estate. Mivtach Shamir invests in media and technology, real estate development and income bearing property, venture capital (mostly related to medical hi-tech and biotechnology), and real investments. Over the years, Mivtach has invested in Tnuva, Bank Leumi stocks, Gilat Satellite Networks, Scitex and Lipman Electronic Engineering (a.k.a. Verifone), among many others. Philanthropy Aside from his business endeavors, Shamir is also a keen advocate of social responsibility. No matter how busy he is, he always finds the time to contribute to the community. Even in difficult times, when his business was suffering losses, he preferred cutting back on his personal salary upon reducing his donations. Shamir supports a variety of causes, among them summer camps for youth at risk from the Israeli periphery, and educational day-care centers for children. He contributes regularly to the Bar Ilan University and is actively involved in Taglit-Birthright Israel where he serves as chairman of the Israeli Taglit Society. In 2015, shortly after the acclaimed sale of Tnuva corporation to Bright Food China, Shamir donated NIS 1 million to Taglit. Corporate Social Responsibility In addition to Shamir’s personal donations, Mivtach Shamir Holdings also contributes to Israeli society. In 2015 the company donated a state-of-the-art ambulance to a ZAKA emergency response team. The ambulance was designed and built specifically to suit the unique needs of the organization. Mivtach Shamir also participates in Ametz Lochem, an IDF unit-adoption project run by the Association for the Wellbeing of Israel’s Soldiers (AWIS) and the Libi Fund. The company has adopted several combat battalions, among them, the Bar’am Division on the northern border, the Reshef Unit of the Armor Battalion, the military flight academy, and a number of Air Force squadrons, including the Hammers Squadron, where Meir Shamir himself served. As part of the project, every year Mivtach Shamir donates funds to enhance soldiers' welfare and support young people with special needs serving in the adopted units.