Israel-Europe R&D directorate appoints new head

The steering committee of ISERD, the Israel-Europe Research and Development Directorate, approved the appointment of Nili Shalev as managing director of the directorate, which is in charge of implementing the scientific and technological agreement between Israel and the European Union.

Israel joined the European Union’s framework program of research and innovation 20 years ago. It is the largest program in the world combining industrial and academic research and is renewed every several years. The current program Horizon 2020, running from 2014 to 2020, has a budget of €77 billion. Israel is expected to invest approximately €1 billion in its joint fund.

Shalev will be in charge of creating an infrastructure to make the most of Israel’s participation in European cooperation programs and to increase Israel’s involvement in the European Research Area (ERA). In addition, she will also promote the participation of Israel’s industry, academia, and other organizations, including hospitals and ministries, in science, technology, innovation and research programs where the European Union is involved. Shalev will also head the bi-national activity for cooperation in industrial R&D with European countries.

Shalev has 20 years of experience in global business development, promoting international cooperation and international marketing and branding. She served in various roles in the Israeli Ministry of Economy and Industry, including as Israel’s trade representative to Australia and managing the Startup Fund of the Office of the Chief Scientist. She also worked as the marketing manager for one of the companies of the Arison Group.

“The new appointment is highly significant for the activity of the Israel Innovation Authority,” Avi Hasson, the chief scientist at Israel’s Ministry of Economy and Industry and chairman of ISERD’s steering committee, said in a statement. “Nili has vast experience in promoting Israeli foreign relations and innovation at home and abroad.”

ISERD is an interministerial agency established by the Israeli Ministry of Economy and Industry, the Israeli Ministry of Science, Technology and Space, the Budgeting Committee at the Council for Higher Education and the Ministries of Finance and Foreign Affairs.

“Israel’s participation in European R&D programs over the years has brought tremendous benefits to industrial, academic and other organizations in Israel which have taken part in it,” Shalev said. “It brought Israel research grants worth billions of Euros, helped increase competition in industry, connected researchers and scientists from Israel and Europe and helped bring home Israeli researchers living abroad.”