The new owners of a controlling stake in the Shufersal retail chain, brothers Shlomo and Yossi Amirov, tried to appoint Professor Yitzhak Shapira, the deputy general director of the Ichilov hospital, as the chairman of the board of directors with a salary of 4 hours a week. However, this move received a negative reaction in economic circles and was blocked by the Ministry of Health before the Securities Market Supervision Authority could weigh in.
Originally, the Amir brothers wanted to hold both positions themselves but were prevented by securities market management. As a result, they appointed themselves as general directors and Shapira as a ceremonial chairman of the board. The attempt to appoint Professor Shapira to a leadership position in Shufersal led to a broader discussion in the economic sphere about the complexities of combining roles in such influential organizations.
The Ministry of Health’s intervention highlighted the importance of maintaining transparency and preventing conflicts of interest in high-profile positions. While the episode ultimately did not result in Professor Shapira taking on the role of chairman of the board, it served as a reminder of the scrutiny and accountability that come with leadership positions in major corporations.
