Israeli business owner and activist Dani Dayan has been appointed by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to become Israel’s Ambassador to Brazil.
Dayan, 59, was born in Argentina, has one child and holds a master’s degree in finance. He served as chairman of the Yesha Council from 2007-2013 and is engaged in public diplomacy in Israel and abroad on a daily basis.
Dayan was also one of the founders and owners of Elad Systems and served as chairman of its Board of Directors.
“I acceded to the Prime Minister’s challenge to deepen and improve relations between Israel and Brazil,” Dayan said in a statement to media. “I promised the Prime Minister that I would spare no effort or creativity in fulfilling the strategic task he has assigned me. Even though I did not commit that we would win a gold medal in next year’s Rio Olympics, we all hope that it will happen.”
On a more strategic note, Netanyahu pointed out: “Latin America is one of the main objectives of the State of Israel in the context of its efforts to develop markets that will contribute to increasing economic growth. I am confident that Dani Dayan will bring to the post his considerable experience and will deepen relations between Israel and Brazil.”
Brazil is the largest country in Latin America with a population of some 200 million people; it is the seventh largest economy in the world.
Israel has set as a goal the development of commercial links with international markets in South America, especially Brazil.
The country also has a population of over 40 million pro-Israel Christians, which will become a potential new tourism market as well.