Yair Shamir

Catalyst Founding and Managing Partner

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Mr. Yair Shamir is the Founding and Managing Partner of Catalyst Investments. Mr. Shamir was elected as a member of the 19th Knesset (Israeli Parliament) and served as Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development for the Government of Israel from 2013 until 2015.

Mr. Shamir serves as chairman of the National Road Safety Authority, chairman of the Shalem Collage, a research and educational institute in Jerusalem and chairman of the General Meeting of Ohalo College.

Mr. Shamir has formerly served as chairman of four government companies: Metropolitan Mass Transit System (NTA), Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), EL-AL Israel Airways and the National Roads Company.

Mr. Shamir has served as a member of numerous company boards within Catalyst’s investment portfolio – currently he serves as a board member of Tufin (NYSE: TUFN), Satixfy, and is chairman of the board of Xjet.

Mr Shamir also serves as a board member of Gvahim, a non-profit organization which assists qualified new immigrants from around the world in realizing their professional aspirations in Israel, and is a director at Rami Levi, a national Israeli retail chain.

From 2003-2007, Mr. Shamir was the Chairman of Shamir Optical Industry Ltd (NASDAQ: SHMR).

From 1997-2006, Mr. Shamir served as the CEO and Chairman of VCON Telecommunications Ltd. From 2005-2013, he served as a board member of DSP Group Corporation (NASDAQ: DSPG).

Mr Shamir was the CEO of Elite Food Industries, Ltd between the years of 1994 and 1995.

From 1995 to 1997, Mr. Shamir served as Executive Vice President of the Challenge Fund L.P. Prior to this he was Executive VP of Scitex Corporation and General Manager of Scitex Israel from 1988 until 1993.

Mr Shamir was the Chairman of Gvahim from 2006 to 2013. He was also a Board Member of Mikveh Israel from 2010 until 2013. Mr. Shamir was also a member of the Board of Governors of the Technion University and sat on the executive committee of the Beer Sheva University from 1990 until 2013.

Mr. Shamir served in the Israeli Air Force as a pilot and commander from 1963-1988. During his term in the Air Force, Mr. Shamir attained the rank of colonel and served as head of the electronics department, the highest professional electronics position within the Israeli Air Force.

Mr. Shamir holds a B.Sc. in Electronics Engineering from the Technion, Israel Institute of Technology.