Last update - 00:00 15/03/2007
Bank Hapoalim Chairman Shlomo Nehama intends to resign
By Tal Levy
Bank Hapoalim Chairman Shlomo Nehama intends to resign, the bank's controlling shareholder Shari Arison announced Thursday.
Arison, who chairs Arison Holdings, said this morning that her company has notified the bank's secretariat of a meeting she held with Nehama on Wednesday.
"Subsequent to this meeting, we reached the understanding in principle about Mr. Nehama's resignation from chairing the bank's board of directors," Arison Holdings said in a statement.
The exact date on which Nehama's resignation will go into effect as well as his severance terms have yet to be finalized, but the bank will fulfill its commitments to him, Arison Holdings said.
Arison added Thursday that her company will intends to recommend Danker, who currently chairs Poalim Capital Markets, Isracard, and Bank Hapoalim's balance sheet committee, succeed Nehama. Danker has also served as a director at Bank Hapoalim for the last ten years.
She also said that Arison Holdings will also recommend that the Bank Hapoalim board of directors appoint Irit Izakson as vice chairman of Bank Hapoalim.
Izakson has served as a director at the bank during the last seven years and is a member of the management board at several leading companies.
Dankner and Izakson have agreed in principle to accept their promotions.
Arison thanked Nehama for his contribution to promoting the development and fortunes of Bank Hapoalim in Israel and around the world, together with the other members of the board of directors and management.
"Shlomo is dear to me and I wish him the best in his future," Arison said, adding that he had been appointed by her father, Ted Arison.
Her years of work with him had been very fruitful for both the Arison group and Bank Hapoalim, she said, and she expressed full confidence that he will succeed at whatever he sets out to do.