Eight years ago, Itay Raved was at a crossroads. After dropping out of a legal internship and an unfulfilling job in media consulting, he set out on a trip to India. "At the time, I was wondering what to do with my life, and I decided to visit my younger brother on his post-army trip," he says.
While preparing to travel, he began formulating his next career move. "A friend of mine was working as an operations manager for ofo, the Chinese bicycle-sharing venture. It seemed cool to me - I knew how to get things done from my days in the Israel Scouts, so I thought about something similar." At the same time, he heard that scooter-sharing company Lime was considering entering Israel. "I knew they were doing something similar to ofo, and it intrigued me. I said to myself, 'Let’s get in touch and find a way.' So, I contacted them and said: 'Listen, whether or not you're looking, I want to manage your operations in Israel.'"
"My third and fourth interviews took place on a rooftop in the middle of a valley in India, using a hotspot that a local set up for me on his phone," he recalls with a smile. "I sat in an Indian café, opened Google Maps, and started drafting a launch plan for Lime in Israel. At the same time, I was trying to understand sharing electric scooters - something I had never dealt with before. I hugged my brother, told him ‘Enjoy the rest of your trip,’ and boarded a flight back to Israel."
This was Raved’s first foray into the transportation industry. His next stop? Tesla Israel.
"You can always retake an exam"
Raved (36) grew up in Ramat Aviv in a family of four brothers. "We have a pretty unique family dynamic," he describes. His mother, Ayala, was an information systems manager at National Coal Supply Co. until she retired in 2008. His father, Yoram, is a senior lawyer and a founding partner in the law firm Raved, Magriso, Benkel & Co. (now Shibolet & Co.), and was an advisor to Ariel Sharon. The parents instilled a mantra that he carries with him to this day: "Enjoy what you have and strive for infinity."
"I grew up in a home with a strong sense of pride imparted by my parents. No matter what, they were always incredibly proud and encouraging, with an amazing sense of proportion about life. I think that has always guided all of us."
As a child, Raved was exposed to the behind-the-scenes world of Israel’s business and political elites. "Lunches at Ariel Sharon’s ranch, sitting on his lap, were routine. I was like any kid tagging along with his dad to work - except I was exposed to major business deals. I saw how things operated in that world, the different types of people involved, and when to stand firm on your values and when not to," he reveals.
Another key element of his childhood and teenage years was the Israel Scouts. "I was a die-hard Tel Aviv scout, often prioritizing Scouts over everything else," he laughs. "The saying in my family was: 'You can always retake a school exam - but you can't redo Scouting.'
After finishing high school and the Scouts, Raved joined the IDF’s Counter-Terrorism Unit (LOTAR), where he trained hundreds of soldiers during his service and in the reserves. After his military discharge, he followed the standard post-army track. "Work a little and then travel abroad. I traveled for nearly a year across South America. Then the question came up - what now? My best answer was: 'I have no idea.' That theme repeated itself for many years," he laughs. "My father had a running joke: 'My kids can study whatever they want - they can go into criminal law, civil law, commercial law, whatever they choose.' Even though it was a joke, I ended up studying law and communications at the College of Management."
He completed his degree successfully and started his internship at the prestigious law firm Doron, Tikotzky, Kantor & Co. "Then the penny dropped. This wasn’t what I wanted to do. Morning after morning, I felt unfulfilled and not enjoying myself. It’s okay to be bored sometimes, but I felt this wasn’t the right thing for me."
"Launching a market overnight"
At this stage, he tried fulfilling a childhood dream and went to study acting in London. He quickly realized he was made of different stuff, and found himself working in one of Israel’s leading media consulting firms, Zamir Dahbash’s Shalom Tel Aviv. "It was a very interesting period. I handled strategic clients and major crises, like the Haifa Chemicals ammonia tank crisis and the Globus Max breakup, and kinds of other interesting things that happened on the market at that time."
Did you like it?
"I said to myself: Okay, this is interesting and it’s important - but there’s no passion. My next stop was Lime."
You mentioned that you approached them directly to run their operations. How did that happen?
"I knew they were a unicorn and doing something like bike-sharing. I checked where they were based and what their first steps in Israel were. Through a lawyer they had contacted, I reached the person responsible for the Israeli market. At the time, I was Lime’s only employee in Israel."
To understand how to set up the project properly, Raved traveled to Denmark. "They sent me to Copenhagen with simple instructions: 'The groundwork is ready, now launch.' It was my first time there and I was given clear instructions: rent a warehouse, buy equipment and tools. I had to check off items, one by one. For two weeks, I went around, trying to figure out how everything worked. Then, one day, trucks arrived with 600 scooters. I found myself with a team of Turkish and Syrian workers, unloading scooters into the warehouse, charging them overnight, and distributing them around town in the morning. Almost overnight, we launched an active market."
The experience he gained paid off, and in Israel, Lime became the market leader. Meanwhile, Raved was promoted to General Manager of Lime Israel - where he also found love. "At a certain point, we realized we needed to strengthen the team and add new skills. We hired Shani, who was my counterpart. When I officially became COO, she moved to the San Francisco headquarters, while at the same time, we started dating. The rest is history."
"Our marketing budget is zero"
His move to Tesla was just as random as his entry into the scooter world. "I was at dinner with an acquaintance, and he asked me, 'What do you think about Tesla? You're already in transportation.' I replied that I wasn’t looking for a job, but he insisted I send him my resume. 'What do you have to lose?' he asked - and indeed, I had nothing to lose," Raved recalls.
"I drafted something quickly on my phone, sent it to him, and forgot about it completely. A year and eight months later, shortly before October 7, the regional Tesla manager contacted me. We met for coffee in Tel Aviv, and by January 1 I was already at the company offices, starting my new role as Tesla Israel’s country manager."
That’s quite a difference, isn’t it? The auto industry is a completely different game.
"Yes. But Tesla isn’t a traditional car company. Electric cars are our main product for now, but they’re just part of a bigger vision - shifting the world to sustainable energy.
"Tesla operates like a startup within an old industry. You have to educate everyone - the market, competitors, journalists, regulators - about how we work. In 2024, Tesla was the second best-selling EV brand in Israel, and we didn’t run a single advertisement. Our marketing budget is zero, as opposed to the competition, which spends hundreds of thousands or even millions of shekels."
What’s Tesla’s plan for Israel in the near future?
"We’re planning several initiatives, including new showrooms and service centers in Tel Aviv, the north, and other locations. Plus, there are more surprises in store."
And where do you see yourself in ten years?
"I’m just getting started at Tesla. In a decade, I’ll still be leading a company with a positive global impact and a product I believe in.
"I’d like to convey a message to young people who feel lost - I didn’t know what I wanted either, but in the end, I found my way. If you feel lost, that’s totally fine. You’re in good company."
This article is part of the annual "Globes" "40 Under 40" young leadership in Israel project.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on April 6, 2025.
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd., 2025.