Ira Friedman

A Leading Expert in Israel's Impact Investing Field and Innovative Philanthropic Models

My Impact:

My Story

With over 25 years of experience in the capital market, banking, and finance, I have established myself as a pioneer in impact investing and innovative philanthropy in Israel.
Throughout the past decade, I have been a passionate advocate for the revolution of impact investing and responsible investing. Leveraging my extensive financial and business background, I have actively contributed to the growth of impact investing and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) practices in Israel.
During my career, I have held esteemed positions such as CEO of Tamir Fishman Investment House, CEO of Ofek (the social bank), and director of investments and financial consulting at the commercial division of Bank Leumi. Additionally, I have served as Vice President at Social Finance Israel (SFI) and occupied various board member roles in public companies. I am also privileged to be a member of the investment committees of significant institutional investors.
My practical experience includes designing impactful investment models and providing guidance to various stakeholders entering and operating within the impact investing sphere.
Currently, I proudly serve as a board member of The Israeli Forum For Impact Economy (IFIE) while continuing my directorship roles and involvement with public companies and institutional investors.

Innovative Philanthropy: Tackling Society's Biggest Challenges in a More Efficient and Effective Way

Traditional philanthropy plays a crucial role in addressing social needs that the market fails to solve. However, there are instances where nonprofits and social enterprises can harness the power of the market to maximize the positive social impact of philanthropic resources.
Innovative philanthropy and impact investment are essential tools in the arsenal of philanthropic foundations. While the field is still emerging in Israel, it is rapidly evolving. By combining impact investments with traditional strategic philanthropy, we can create meaningful social change.
Working alongside leading foundation professionals, we explore and implement sustainable models that maximize foundation impact. I offer my diverse expertise and experience to philanthropic funds in Israel, helping them develop impact investment strategies tailored to their unique needs. This includes Program Related Investments (PRI) or Mission Related Investments (MRI), as well as identifying, making, and monitoring relevant investments.
I assist philanthropic foundations in building innovative models that enhance the effectiveness of their resources. This includes providing guidance and training to foundation executives and teams on innovative philanthropy and impact investing. Together, we leverage catalytic capital, forge cross-sector partnerships, and utilize blended finance models to amplify the impact of philanthropic initiatives.

Providing Expert Advice to Nonprofits: Empowering Your Mission

I specialize in offering expert advice and guidance to nonprofit organizations, supporting them in developing innovative revenue models. The goal is to help nonprofits and NGOs diversify their resources and increase their impact through strategic partnerships and funding opportunities.
One of key areas of focus is raising funding from philanthropic sources that operate through impact loans and impact investors. By leveraging these funding channels, I assist unlock new sources of financial support for nonprofits, enabling them to further their mission and achieve long-term sustainability.
Working closely with nonprofit leadership teams, I help in designing impactful investment models that attract the attention of potential funders. Through strategic guidance, I assiste facilitate groundbreaking moves, such as raising funds from impact investors and fostering inter-sector collaborations.
Notable organizations such as Ogen and The JDC have benefited from mutual work as they embrace innovative approaches resulting in greater financial resources and expanded opportunities for social impact.

Providing Expert Advice: Empowering Sustainable Finance and Impact Investing

With fluency in both the language of finance and business and the language of impact and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance), I specialize in offering expert advice to a wide range of clients, including family offices, portfolio and asset management firms, institutional investors, impact investment funds, banks, and more.
My clients benefit from my unique combination of extensive experience in the capital market and banking, as well as my deep understanding of ESG principles and the development of impact investments. Over the past decade, I have amassed a wealth of knowledge and practical experience in applying ESG criteria and building impactful investment portfolios.
I work closely with institutional entities, family offices, banks, and asset management firms that seek to integrate ESG and impact investing into their financial products. My expertise extends to the non-tradable nature of impact investments, and I assist finance-first impact investors in identifying, evaluating, and executing impact investment opportunities. My experience encompasses a diverse range of investments, including investment funds, start-ups, debt and equity transactions, and more.
Additionally, I provide consulting services in the design of impact and ESG investment funds