On November 11th, 2008, Nir Barkat was elected the 9th Mayor of Jerusalem, the eternal capital of the Jewish people, at the age 0f 49. Members of city council have formed a wide coalition to support Mayor Barkat and his vision – a testament to his leadership and uniting vision for Jerusalem. Immediately prior to his election as Mayor, Not Barkat served for 5 years as the opposition leader of city council, learning the details of Jerusalem's difficult challenges and awesome opportunities.
Mayor Barkat set out a path of active civic engagement and reform beyond the city council to address education, negative migration of Jerusalem's young adults, and the need for lasting economic development. His early successes as Mayor are rooted in his business methods and entrepreneurial approach to City Hall, which derived from two decades in international business. Mayor Barkat received the rank of Major during his six years of service in the Israel Defense Forces, during which he was wounded. He is married to Beverly, with whom he has three children.
Nir Barkat is a Member of the Board since June 2006.