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June
18,
2007
Water and Environmental
Technologies
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Mr. Hezi
Kugler,
Director General of the
Ministry of National
Infrastructures |
Mr. Booky
Oren,
President and CEO of
the
Arison Water Initiative |
|
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The land of Israel is coping with water deficient and environmental control challenges. As the saying goes: “Necessity is the mother of invention”. Since Israel’s early days, the country’s water sector has been forced to provide its citizenry with advanced solutions. Situated in one of the world’s most arid regions, it was Israel that pioneered and lead the concepts of national water management, drip irrigation, recycling and purifying wastewater, water desalination and in the field of alternative energy- geothermal power technologies.
Based on Israel accumulated experience and the following unique advantages, Israel is poised to play a major role in supplying the world with cutting-edge water and environmental solutions:
- Israel as a beta site
- The spirit of the Israeli technological entrepreneurship
- Variety of proven water and environmental solutions
- Supportive National Eco-System in order to promote the water and
environmental technology industries
About the speakers:
Hezi
Kugler currently serves as Director General of
Israel's Ministry of National Infrastructures, to which
he was appointed at the beginning of September 2006.
Mr. Kugler's background is in large-scale project
finance, Corporate and commercial law, and the
securities and venture capital markets. Prior to
appointment to his post as Director General, he was a
senior partner in the Hertzliya-based law firm Eitan,
Mehulat, Pappo, Kugler in which he oversaw the firm's
projects and securities practices, concentrating in
particular on BOT and PFI infrastructure projects as
well as major offerings in the public and private equity
markets.
In
addition, Mr. Kugler has served over the years as a
business consultant to leading international concerns
active in the Israeli market and in cooperation with
Israeli companies in overseas ventures. He has
particular experience in the defense industry field.
Mr. Kugler has served as a member of boards of directors
for Israel – based subsidiaries of international
companies and for local Israeli companies.
Mr. Kugler holds a BA and an MA from Bar-Ilan University
in Political Studies, specializing in International
Relations, and an LLB from Tel-Aviv University.
Booky Oren has 23 years of experience in various management
roles ranging from start-ups to large companies, both private and public, in
local and global markets. Mr. Oren has served in a large variety of industries:
consumer goods, B to B, financial industry, high-tech industry, and the Water
industry. In the water arena Mr. Oren served as Corporate Vice Present for
Business Development at Netafim, the largest irrigation company in the
world. Between 2003 and 2006 Mr. Oren was the Chairman of Board of Directors
of Mekorot, Israel's National Water Company. As part of this role Mr. Oren
has established close relationships with some of the leading players in the
water arena: Multi National Companies, water utilities, water technology
specialists, academic and financial industry members. On November 2006 Mr. Oren
has joined the Arison Group, one of the biggest investments groups in Israel,
with total investments of over $1 billion, as the President and CEO of the
Arison Water Initiative, a holding company for water equipment and
technologies with initial capital of $100M.
Mr. Oren is also the Chairman of Watec Israel 2007 – the leading event of
the Israeli water technology industry – which will take place in Tel-Aviv on
October 2007 (http://www.watec-israel.com/).
Mr. Oren holds a M.B.A. (specializing in marketing) and a B.A. in Economics and
Management from the
Tel Aviv University.
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