A Quiet Transformation in How Global Companies Build Offices in Israel

The landscape of office construction and project management in Israel is undergoing a noticeable shift, particularly for global companies establishing local operations. According to Gal Weiser Fried, Managing Partner at Raz Management and Engineering, the traditional decentralized approach is rapidly giving way to a more streamlined, centralized model. "There's a dramatic change that's been in the past few years. And what you can see is kind of going from a scattered, decentralized sort of model to something more organized and linear A few years down the line, we would see companies try to contract an architect and a PM and consultants, wasting a lot of time and obviously a lot of money," she says.

Today, she explains, organizations no longer have patience—or budget—for inefficiencies. "They don't want those risks and they're looking for some entity to take full responsibility for the project." The hidden costs in traditional models, she notes, can be substantial: delays in product launches due to unfinished labs, double rent when occupancy permits arrive late, and executives investing time in areas far outside their expertise. "The cost of the project is not just the sum of the invoices," she emphasizes.

For global clients, the challenges multiply. Time-zone gaps, regulatory complexity, cultural differences and language barriers all complicate execution. "Even for Israelis the bureaucracy is sometimes a black box," Weiser Fried notes, adding that international teams often struggle to coordinate with local stakeholders. What they truly need, she says, is a partner who can be their boots on the ground, "a cultural translator."
Raz's integrated turnkey model aims to deliver exactly that. The company develops a comprehensive "Project Bible" covering layout, technical specs, budget and schedule. From that moment, the client works with a single point of contact. "We take care of everything - architects, consultants, contractors," she explains. The budget is closed and transparent: "We don't come back asking for more money."

Looking ahead, she identifies three leading trends: sustainability, advanced technology, and highly flexible workspaces. Ultimately, companies are no longer seeking fragmented services. "They want results," she concludes, "and one entity that gives them those deliverables."

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Partnered with Raz Management and Engineering