Hanan Friedman

President & CEO, Bank Leumi

Search every verified Hanan Friedman interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. At the 2025 Jerusalem Post NY Conference, Hanan Friedman described Israel as “an excellent investment option,” citing the country’s rising GDP and stock market performance. He stated that “anyone who will invest in Israel, particularly in companies that are adopting advanced technologies, will enjoy substantial returns.” Friedman noted that “despite forecasts of negative growth published by credit rating agencies at the beginning of the war, Israel’s economy is actually growing — even in 2024 during a massive war the GDP grew 1%.” He attributed the economy’s resilience to the financial system, saying “from the beginning of the war, Bank of Israel successfully implemented its monetary policy.” Friedman also spoke about Bank Leumi’s community support, stating that “Bank Leumi alone invested in the Israeli community from the beginning of the war over half a billion shekels.” He emphasized themes of unity and resilience, saying “the unity of the Israeli society and the unique ties between diaspora Jewish and the state of Israel is the guarantee for overcoming the challenges.” Friedman concluded his remarks with a prayer for the return of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.