Cobi Bitton – CEO of Integritas People & Business CEO of Israel-Greece Chamber of Commerce, Partner-Ridge Global Europe S.A.
Cobi Bitton has been a catalyst in initiating and evolving business relations between Israel and Greece. A manager with international corporate standing, credibility, and respect, resides in both Athens and Tel Aviv.
He feels the “brotherhood” among our nations and he has assisted Israeli and Greek investors and companies to do business with each other by organizing meetings, delegations, trade missions, and entrepreneurial tours. He has international business experience in 5 continents providing M&A advisory services. Mr. Bitton was closely involved with the visit of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to Israel in June 2020, working with participants from both countries to identify and explore potential areas of commercial collaboration.
His vision is to empower the female presence, entrepreneurship, and leadership and his goal is to create a “healthy horizon” that builds relationships, fosters innovation, and helps the exchange of “experience” and understanding between entities from both nations.
When describing the commercial and economic potential between the two countries, quite often you use the terms «Greek experience» and «Israeli experience». Why?
The Greek experience, as I refer to it, is more than just getting to know the people, the food, the music, and the environment. It is understanding the complexities. It is to grope, touch, feel, know your place, where you are, and with whom you are, and understand your position before you start doing business. The Israeli experience is the same thing in reverse. We observe that there are many similarities, however, there is a deeper difference that must be recognized.
“Israel – Greece. In blue and white.” I’ve noticed that you always end interviews in news articles and speeches with this statement. What does this mean?
Blue and white are much more than two colors for me. Blue and white represent a broad spectrum of optimism. Our flags are blue and white, the sea that separates us is blue and white, the two people have a rich history, a rich culture that brought to the wide world great values, the two people have known and experienced struggles, but also awakening, pride, brotherhood, and mutual guarantee. All of this is what blue and white mean to me.
You’ve recently launched a new initiative, one of several in blue and white, to develop a bi-national female entrepreneurial and leadership organization. Why?
I seek balance wherever I go. For me, women are a factor that creates balance. Female leadership in senior positions has been on the rise in recent years. This has been evident in Israel for many years, and I am closely monitoring the changes in Greece. Five years ago, when I stepped in to lead the Israel-Greece Chamber of Commerce in its new form, my vision included empowering female presence, entrepreneurship, and leadership. It still does. This initiative of a bilateral organization to empower women will happen with support from both sides. Today it is led by Keren Hod, the founder of «WE – Women Entrepreneurship» in Israel. WE IN BLUE & WHITE
At the recent Israel-Greece conference in Athens, you urged for the establishment of a joint Israeli-Greek investment fund that invests in initiatives to protect the interests of the two countries in the areas of energy, the environment, sustainability, food security, and future generation. How applicable, is it?
The notion of forming a bilateral investment body is not new. My goal is to create a movement that will bring together Israeli and Greek business communities, so each side can add its unique value. This will spark new initiatives and introduce lines of communication to both people and the region, and solve problems that threaten us in the areas of energy, climate change, food security, personal security, and a better society. It will improve resource usage and provide a bright future for the younger generation. This is only possible if there is an understanding, and shared interests between the commercial, academic, and political worlds. As crazy as it may sound, such an investment fund may be created and executed with the goodwill and harnessing of influencers.
At that conference, you called on Greek decision-makers to encourage investors to participate in a roadshow in Israel to better familiarize the Israeli business community with the Greek side and dispel the perception that the Greek business world lacks initiative and bravery. Do you sincerely think it?
I’m frequently asked why there isn’t more interest to invest in Israel from Greek businesses, financial institutions, private investment funds, and independent entrepreneurs. There are various reasons, which I will not go into here, but there is no doubt that the potential exists. It is no secret that Israel is a popular destination for investors worldwide, whether it is public wealth funds or major international commercial banks, to invest in private Israeli firms and government entities. Whether it is a well-known technological concern or a multinational company in the food and agriculture industries, Greek entrepreneurs and investors have a place here. Israel represents a location that is dynamic, geographically close, and promising, yet complex and challenging, which requires a level of courage and audacity. I see this as a mission to bring together different business groups, executives at financial entities and family offices, and philanthropic organizations to explore and learn from the Israeli experience –to feel the pulse of the Israeli entrepreneur and develop a new investment channel with more game changers.
Friends, allies, and partners are just a few of the terms used to describe the relationship between the two countries today. What is your definition, and why?
I’ll use a phrase that two serving Greek ministers often tell me, “Brothers!” I feel very close and sometimes have the feeling that I was Greek in a prior life (I was born in Israel to Moroccan parents!). There are some big differences, but what ultimately draws us together is that we are all human beings; after all, we need to get to know each other better without prejudice or fake news.
What is your message to Greeks in Greece and the Diaspora who continue to move on the axis of stigmas, biases, hateful articles, and the yellow press directed at Jews in general and Israelis in particular?
A Jew is not necessarily an Israeli, and vice versa. It’s important to understand the difference. To begin with, our basic principle is that we as Jewish people and as an Israeli nation are peace-seekers who want to live in security. While we’ve been oppressed and in constant conflict over land and religion for over 5,000 years, we firmly believe that open dialogue and doing good can only bring positive change.
For years now we have been harnessing our talents to develop more innovation for the benefit of all humanity.
