The Bank Hapoalim (LSE:BKHD; TASE:POLI) shareholders have offered former Republic National Bank chairman Dov Schlein the position of CEO, with a high salary and Bank Hapoalim shares. As far as is known, Schlein, an Israeli residing in the US, has no interest in the job. He first turned down the job three-and-a-half years ago, when Amiram Sivan held the position.
As reported by “Globes”, the US partners in the Bank Hapoalim controlling core, wish Eli Yones’s replacement to take note of their business philosophy, and are therefore considering an American-Israeli manager for the position.
A Bank Hapoalim spokesperson said the bank did not comment on rumors, and that when a decision was made, the bank would announce it in due course.
The Bank Hapoalim chiefs are persisting in their efforts to locate and evaluate candidates for the CEO post, with the US shareholders dominating the process. As far as is known, they prefer not to appoint former senior Ministry of Finance officials, in order to avoid future disputes of the kind that caused Yones to resign three months ago.
This restriction casts doubt on the candidacy of Bank Hapoalim head of corporate banking Shai Talmon, a former Ministry of Finance accountant general, and is liable to prevent the appointment of former senior Ministry of Finance officials currently working in banking.
Published by Globes [online] -l www.globes.co.il - on July 3, 2003