Following a tenders process held at the Bank of Israel, Uri Barazani has been appointed to the position of Bank of Israel Spokesperson and Head of the Office of the Spokesperson and Economic Information in the Communications and Community Relations Division being established at thed Bank, led by Nurit Felter-Eitan.

 

.  Since 2008, he has worked as an economist in the Capital Market Unit of the Information and Statistics Department, dealing with the credit market and institutional investors.  Among other things, Barazani developed the information system regarding the Israeli credit market in 2008–9, when the Bank of Israel needed information that was as comprehensive as possible regarding the state of the credit market.  In 2014, he joined the Bank of Israel’s Office of the Spokesperson and Economic Information as Deputy Spokesperson.  He was involved in all areas of the Office’s work, which included leading the expansion of the Bank of Israel’s public information efforts toward the Arab community in Israel.  He was also part of the team that formulated the Bank’s public relations strategy as part of the strategic plan led by the Governor in 2019.  Since February 2020, upon his predecessor Yoav Soffer’s completion of his term, Barazani has served as Acting Spokesperson of the Bank.

 

Barazani has a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the Hebrew University and a Master’s degree in Business Management from Tel Aviv University.  He lives in Ra’anana, and is married with three children.

 

Bank of Israel Governor Prof. Amir Yaron said, “Since the previous Spokesperson, Yoav Soffer, completed his term, Uri has filled the position of Acting Spokesperson very well, during one of the most challenging periods the Bank of Israel and the Israeli economy have known.  The experience he has accumulated, alongside his professional and academic background, and his understanding of the variety of core issues with which the Bank deals, will enable him to successfully deal with the challenges of the position, and to contribute to the Bank’s work.  Public information work is an essential part of the effectiveness of the various economic measures taken by the Bank.  I am very pleased with his official selection to the position, and I wish him success in his important position.”