Israel 2015

SPECIAL EDITION

“WORLD’S MARKETS AND OPPORTUNITIES”

ISRAEL CREATIVE INNOVATION

2015

Israeli academics produce more scientific papers per capita than any other country in the world.

Israel was the first country to sign up to the Kimberly process, the international standard that certifies diamonds as being “conflict free”.

The Dead Sea is 8.6 times saltier than the ocean.

The Azrieli Centre is located on a 34,500-square-metre site in Tel Aviv

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WORLD’S MARKETS AND OPPORTUNITIES

Haifa’s Carmelit transport system is one of the smallest subway systems in the world, with four carriages and a track of just 1.8 km.

Israel is a representative democracy with a parliamentary system, proportional representation and universal suffrage.

The Prime Minister serves as head of government and the Knesset serves as Israel's legislative body.

Talmon Marco is an Israeli-American entrepreneur and businessman, best known as the CEO and founder of Viber

Jerusalem, located on a plateau in the Judean Mountains between the Mediterranean and the Dead Sea, is one of the oldest cities in the world. It is considered holy to the three major Abrahamic religions—Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

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INTERVIEW

YOSSEF LEVY, AMBASSADOR OF ISRAEL

Israel and Serbia have preconditions to become much closer trade partners and enhance political, economic and cultural cooperation. As two small countries, their future is to be found in new technologies and human resources Photo: Janko Petković

Opportunities Waiting to be Seized L ast year’s visit of Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vučić’s to Israel served to fortify the already good bilateral relations between the two countries, opening new fields of possible cooperation including security issues in the broader region and new avenues of economic cooperation. “Both Israel and Serbia share the human values of civilisation, but those values are now in unprecedented danger,” says Yossef Levy, Israeli Ambassador to Serbia, pointing to security issues that are

this is a time for decisiveness and truth,” says the ambassador.

Although the level of bilateral trade is unsatisfactory, Levy believes that many opportunities might be explored in the near future, in agriculture and IT, among other areas. “More and more Israeli IT companies are arriving in Serbia in search of quality engineers,” says Levi.

This also helps the current shift in how the Serbian public sees Israel – not only in terms of the Bible and the Holocaust, but rather as a

Serbia and Israel speak in a new language today: we talk about start-ups, technological incubators and investments. This is great for us, and for you as well complicating the situation in the broader region. “Belgrade and Jerusalem, as well as some moderate Arab countries that I won’t mention here, realise more than ever that

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vibrant, modern and creative young state. The cultural exchange is also helping that cause – the Serbian public has the opportunity to watch contemporary Israeli movies and enjoy

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literature and poetry. “I’m happy to see that the Serbian Embassy in Tel Aviv understands the necessity of enhancing cultural dialogue between our countries,” says Levi.

In this interview for CorD, Levi speaks in detail about possible and existing avenues of bilateral cooperation between our two countries.

• Last year saw Aleksandar Vučić become the first Serbian prime minister in history to visit Israel. What was the impact of that visit on bilateral relations between our two countries?

- That was an excellent visit which had both historical and political dimensions, deriving from the personal commitment of the leaders of our two countries. Prime Minister Vučić met with the entire Israeli leadership and impressed them tremendously with his deep knowledge, political wisdom and sincere friendship for Israel and the Jewish people.

• Did Vučić’s visit open some additional space for the further development of political relations between the two countries?

- For sure. One of the topics was the challenge of combatting extremism and fanaticism in our broad region. Both Israel and Serbia share the human values of civilisation, but those values are now in unprecedented danger.

The Islamic Middle East is going through turmoil not seen since the Middle Ages.

Unfortunately, young people in the Balkans, Serbian citizens included, are drafted to participate in this kingdom of death and evil.

Belgrade and Jerusalem, as well as some moderate Arab countries that I won’t mention here, realize more than ever that this is the time for decisiveness and truth.

necessity of enhancing cultural dialogue between our countries.

• Some prominent Israeli real estate companies are operating in Serbia. However, we don’t see many Israeli IT companies here, or increased transfer of knowhow among Israeli and Serbian IT companies. Is this an accurate statement, or might we be missing some bigger developments that are already taking place?

- This is true, but not totally accurate. There’s no comparison between the investments in real estate and the investments in IT and, of course, they are far from what we could

• Within the spectrum of bilateral relations, which do you see as the most underused and underdeveloped?

- I’m very happy with our road map with Serbia, but each and every field can still be improved upon.

We’re proud of the level of Israeli investments in Serbia, especially in real estate, such as: Airport City, with its amazing fourth phase, the Rajićeva luxurious Shopping Centre, the recently inaugurated Zemun Retail Park, the successful Aviv Park Pančevo and Big Cee, which has become an icon in Novi Sad and the surrounding area. The Central Garden project will certainly be a shining gem of the Belgrade residential landscape. The volume of trade, however, is far from satisfactory. I like to open my morning with a cup of Doncafe which is produced by Strauss, my favorite coffee brand in Israel. My dream is to place Israel among Serbia’s top 10 trading partners in the next decade. We have all the preconditions to do so.

Furthermore, we’re quite satisfied with the new impulse of Israeli culture. In the last few months alone we have had several Israeli theatres here, two bands coming to Belgrade and the Exit festival, film weeks, etc.

Some Serbs believe that Israel is a walking archaic memorial of history and spirit. I enjoy watching their faces when they see the real Israeli profile in the movies, literature and poetry: a vibrant, dynamic and even cynical culture, with an unbelievable energy.

I’m happy to see that the Serbian Embassy in Tel Aviv understands the

pros and cons of further engagement in Serbia?

- Serbia has enormous potential in agriculture and the Israeli investors who are already operating in Serbia in the fields of irrigation and other technologies are very well aware of this. However, the lack of financing and loans in Serbia and the rest of the world prevent this positive trend from achieving its full potential. I know the Serbian government is working on adopting a new strategy for agriculture which will bring new opportunities for Israeli agriculture companies in Serbia.

• We see, as you stated, that Serbia is giving a high priority to holocaust remembrance. However, the old fairground still lacks a proper monument devoted to Serbia’s holocaust victims. Have you received any news about a monument embraced by the Belgrade authorities?

- I have full confidence that Mayor Mali and the government are on the right track to finally realizing our oath to the tragic past. I was invited to the opening session of the steering committee, led by Bishop Ćulibrk, and I was deeply impressed. We asked the City and the State to finish the project by 2017.

My dream is to place Israel among Serbia’s top ten trading partners in the next decade.

We have all the preconditions to do so see as a start-up nation. Nevertheless, in the last two years we are witnessing a shift in that direction, with more and more Israeli IT companies arriving in Serbia, in search of quality engineers.

I’m of the opinion that the main obstacle preventing more Israeli companies from coming to this area is that there are not enough engineers.

At the Israeli Embassy we try to also encourage cooperation in the IT field. In that sense, for the second consecutive year, we organised the Start Tel Aviv competition, in which ten Serbian start-ups competed for the opportunity to come to Israel and meet the Israeli hi tech community.

• Is there tangible interest among Israeli companies when it comes to agriculture; and what do they see as the

• How is modern Israel represented in Serbia?

- We witnessed a positive shift in Israel’s image, from classical topics to modern and creative themes. When I arrived here in 2000, as Deputy Ambassador, people spoke to me about the Holocaust and the Bible.

Today, 15 years later, Serbia and Israel have invented a new language. We speak about start-ups, technological incubators and investments. This is great for us, and for you as well, as two small countries whose economic future lies only in sophisticated technology and human resources.

I had the great pleasure of opening the new energy conference (Nova energija) on Mount Kopaonik, which was organised by Mr Robert Čoban. It wasn’t me standing there, but rather Israel – as a young nation which became a start-up by itself. ●

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START-UP NATION

Innovation as a Way of Life Call it chutzpah, call it tenacity, call it obsession, but Israel is number one globally in terms of R&D spending, first after Silicon Valley in terms of number of start-ups, first in per capita venture capital investments, and more than well represented on the NASDAQ.

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srael boasts the largest concentration of start-ups per-head in the world, with almost one thousand new firms launched every year. Some 88 Israeli companies are listed on NASDAQ. Despite being 301 times smaller than the U.S., Israel is often compared with Silicon Valley. In fact, it’s only second to Silicon Valley when it comes to producing start-up companies. In 2013 alone, Israel produced 1,000 new start-ups, according to a survey by TerraLab Ventures. For every start-up that failed, two more sprung up in its place.

According to the book “Start-up Nation: The Story of Israel’s Economic Miracle”,

by Dan Senor and Saul Singer, Israel has the highest density of tech start-ups in the world. Some of these start-ups achieve global success directly from Israel, such as Waze, while others achieve success after opening centres in places such as Silicon Valley, New York and Boston.

The authors argue that a major factor of Israel’s economic growth can be found in the culture of the Israeli Defence Forces, where service is mandatory for most young Israelis. The authors believe that serving in the IDF provides potential entrepreneurs with the opportunity to develop a wide array of skills and contacts. They also believe that IDF service provides experience in exerting responsibility in an environment relatively free of hierarchy, where creativity and intelligence are highly valued. They also believe that a nation of immigrants is a nation of entrepreneurs.

With exits of nearly $15 billion through mergers and acquisitions and public offerings,

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2014 was an all-time record year for Israel’s hi-tech industry, compared with the $1.2 billion raised in 2013, according to a PwC report for 2014. The exits were spread out between a variety of tech industries, including internet, IT, life sciences, communications and semiconductors.

However, 2015 could be even better. In just the first six months, exits in the Israeli high-tech economy netted more than three quarters of the total dollar amount from 2014.

Between January and June there were 54 exits among Israeli tech firms, worth $5.29 billion.

That sum was more than 75 per cent of the total for 2014, when 107 deals netted $6.98 billion, and was 86% of the $6.62 billion in 2013’s 91 exits, according to the semi-annual M&A report issued by the IVC Research Centre,

Thanks to Israeli government programmes spurring innovation, coupled with the depth of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) talent in Israel, the country has built an ecosystem that continues to grow and create synergy and new opportunities for entrepreneurs.

Among many factors that contributed to the birth of the start-up nation, researchers and journalists often quote a lack of resources which forced Israelis to find solutions to survive – for example, to support research and development in irrigation and water technology.

Similarly, fierce geopolitical conflicts in the volatile Middle East area elicited advanced defence-related research and development efforts, which later became the

Among many factors that contributed to the birth of the start-up nation, researchers and journalists often quote a lack of resources, military service and immigration a tech industry organisation that tracks the industry, and legal firm Meitar Liquornik Geva Leshem Tal, Israel’s largest law firm and a top dealmaker in the technology sector.

How has Israel – as a 60-year-old nation with a population of 7.1 million – been able to reach such economic growth that it today has more high-tech start-ups and a larger venture capital industry per capita than any other country in the world?

The Israeli start-up scene extends from the tech hub of Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and all the way to the southern desert city of Beersheba.

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basis for many non-defence innovations in the areas of healthcare, telecommunications, security, transportation, aviation and more.

The need to fight and to innovate for survival made Israelis tough and resolute as individuals, and determined and efficient as managers.

In a world in which innovation plays an ever-increasing role, there is a potential lesson here for other countries and societies - foster innovation around areas of necessity.

Risk-taking and challenging of norms are at the start of each innovation. ●

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ISRAEL & SERBIA

ECONOMIC COOPERATION

New Momentum in Real Estate Projects Contributing to the claim that Israeli investments in Serbia are considerably higher than the official figure is the fact that several major projects in the real estate field should be completed this year and during the next two years

he economy of Israel is a technologically T advanced market economy

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he trade exchange between Serbia and Israel has been hovering just under the $50 million mark for years, with the unsatisfactory participation of Serbia in terms of the placement of goods in Israel. However, new real estate investments by Israeli companies throughout Serbia, interest among Israeli companies to invest in the agricultural sector, as well as increasingly lively cooperation in the IT sector, should contribute to higher investments and, consequently, a spread in the spectrum of the trade exchange.

Serbian and Israeli business leaders have the most opportunities to deepen cooperation in the field of agriculture, ICT, production of plastics, wood and footwear, as well as advancing partnership in research & development projects.

Great potential exists when it comes to cooperation between the two countries in various fields. Israeli companies have repeatedly expressed their interest in projects related to agriculture, alternative energy sources and the construction industry. In terms of agriculture, the primary avenue lies in the

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fact that Israel has developed technology in the areas of agriculture, while Serbia has great potential for application, which, together with higher technology investments, could encourage further Serbian agriculture exports.

Israel’s achievements in high technology domains, innovation in the field of telecommunications, information technology, use of renewable energy sources, and in the areas of agriculture and health, provide the

in both preventative care and treatment. Other important patents include those in the area of land irrigation using the “drop by drop” system, utilising the minimum amount of water. In the area of renewable energy, the Israelis are known for the construction of solar parks and solar panels for households, as well as the use of waste as an energy source.

One example of this kind is the project for Makiš 2, which was created by Israeli company

Serbian and Israeli business leaders have the most opportunities to deepen cooperation in the field of agriculture, ICT, production of plastics, wood and footwear, as well as advancing partnership in research & development projects opportunity for the transfer of technology in these and other areas. The most noteworthy innovations among those emerging in Israel include technology for instant messaging, voice mail technology, as well as a revolutionary discovery in the field of medicine – a miniature computer capsule with a camera, which helps

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Tahal, which also made all the necessary equipment for this state of the art water treatment plant in Serbia, opened in 2014.

According to the statistics of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, the bilateral trade exchange between the two countries was worth $46.6 million in 2014. The value of

Serbian exports to Israel amounted to $17.8 million, while the value of imports from Israel to Serbia during the same period amounted to $28.8 million.

This result is only slightly better than the $43.5 million achieved in 2013. For that year, the value of Serbia’s exports to Israel amounted to $16.9 million, while the value of imports to Serbia from Israel in the same period amounted to $26.6 million.

The list of the most important products exported from Serbia to Israel includes parts for turbojet or turbo-propeller engines, processed beech wood, food for dogs and cats, nickel products, rubber pneumatic tyres for passenger vehicles and construction timber, with the most important exporters in the last three years include LPO-Ada – the privatisation of which involved Israeli company Bet Shemesh Engines – Farmina Pet Foods Inđija, Josipović trejd from New Belgrade, Milan Blagojević –namenska from Lučani, Jugodrvo – st from New Belgrade, Simićevo-based Goša FSO and Rakić – kom from Duvanište, amongst others.

Israeli company Bet Shemesh Engiņes Ltd. bought the dilapidated LPO Ada factory in 2003 and sales have since increased tenfold. The company decided to build a completely new plant to manufacture jet engine components for overseas markets. The company makes parts for Airbus and Bombardier, as well as for Falcon aircraft, with a hundred per cent of the production intended for export, especially to Germany, the U.S. and the Netherlands.

The new factory opened in late 2014 and is expected to contribute to further increasing exports from Serbia.

The import side is dominated by herbicides, fungicides, switching apparatus for telephony and telegraphy, denatured salt for road gritting, machinery, insecticides, tyre stabilisers and plastics. Among the biggest importers are Magan agrohemikls from Subotica, Nuba Invest, Manta system and Kristal – all from Belgrade, Valjevo’s

Austroterm, Green Hit from New Belgrade and Leskovac-based Zdravlje.

Since December 2013, twice weekly flights via Larnaca have been replaced by direct flights four times a week from Belgrade’s Nikola Tesla Airport to Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv.

According to statistics of the National Bank of Serbia, the total value of Israel’s direct investments in Serbia from the year 2000

accordingly, the owners want to expand their operations on the Serbian market.

Airport City currently comprises seven buildings and more than 80,000 square metres of space. It is home to around 100 of the largest and most successful international and domestic companies. Project investors are AFI Europe and Tidhar – Israeli and international companies operating in the region and worldwide.

to 2012 totalled approximately $52 million.

However, it is estimated that the real value of Israeli investments in this period reached €1.3 billion.

Israeli investors have mostly invested in real estate. The first significant Israeli investment was the construction of the Airport City business centre in New Belgrade, followed by the Plaza Centre shopping centre in Kragujevac, Big CEE in Novi Sad, the Pančevo shopping centre and Hotel Plaza in Belgrade.

This year saw the start of construction of the fourth phase of construction at New Belgrade’s Airport City business park, with a total of four new buildings to be constructed.

Airport City CEO Adir El Al announced that the company had decided to resume construction due to the arrival of new companies on the Serbian market, resulting in increased demand for office space. He said that this Israeli company recognises the needs of the Belgrade real estate market not only for office space, but also for residential construction and,

The end of October this year is expected to see the opening of the new retail park of Israeli company Aviv Arlon at the entrance to Zrenjanin from the direction of Novi Sad, in which €30 million has been invested. This is the company’s third project in Serbia since 2007.

May this year saw the opening of the Zemun Park, an investment worth €25 million, while the second phase is expected soon for the project of the Fishman Group, a subsidiary of the Mivne Group – Israel’s leading group in the fields of property management and commercial property construction.

On the site of the former rolling bearings industry, in the very centre of Belgrade, construction has commenced on the new residential complex “Central Garden”. The main investor is Direct capital S – a company established in Serbia jointly by Israeli companies AFI Europe and Shinkun & Binui Group. Completion of the entire complex, which is built in the form of a closed horseshoe, is expected by 2020. The investor has invested €120 million in the entire complex. ●

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INTERVIEW

SINIŠA DANIČIĆ, COUNTRY MANAGER OF STRAUSS ADRIATIC SERBIA

Coffee of Authentic Local Taste Company Strauss Adriatic emerged from the family company Doncafé, founded in 1992, and today operates within the Strauss Coffee company, one of the world’s five largest global coffee producers.

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sing the latest technology, mergers and partnerships, alongside the support of experts from around the world, with continuous improvement of both research and strategic marketing, Strauss Adriatic (Doncafé) has become a multinational company, one of the world’s five largest coffee producers, says Siniša Daničić, CEO of Strauss Adriatic Serbia ● Strauss Adriatic has its roots in a family

firm founded in 1992. Tell us how progress developed from a small firm to a large company that is now the second largest player on the coffee market in Serbia?

- Our local teams have the support of

experts in key areas in the company’s headquarters, from procurement of raw coffee in Switzerland, via corporate finance and research & development in Israel, to mergers and acquisitions, human resources, strategic marketing and innovation in the Netherlands.

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We are continuing to develop our business and brands in order for us to offer as many people as possible a coffee experience of authentic local flavours.

The Strauss Adriatic (Doncafé) factory is one of 11 production units that supply 15 coffee markets worldwide and our company is the second largest company in Serbia’s retail coffee market (Doncafé and C kafa) and the leading local coffee brand on the HoReCa market. When we opened the factory in Šimanovci in 2007 we had an initial investment of €60 million. Then we set up the technological basis for the company’s good future business operations and created the capacity for an exceptional volume of business.

Today, we have the best factory in this part of Europe and we make ful use of all the potential that this technology offers us.

Monitoring world trends, we have invested in the most modern coffee grinders, with a capacity of 1,000 kilograms per hour. There

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are only five such mills worldwide, and as many as two of them are at the Doncafé factory in Šimanovci. ● Every one of your products is stamped Guardian of freshness. What does that say to consumers?

- On every package of Doncafé you will find the stamp Čuvar svežine, as a symbol of our quality. Top Doncafé products emerge in the closed system of production – Aroma Expert, which brings you coffee full of taste and an aroma that it is hard to resist. The Doncafé Aroma Expert production system has been developed precisely with the aim of preserving the aroma as much as possible, by both preventing evaporation during the course of the further production process (grinding and packaging), when the process of evaporation is most intense, and by protecting the coffee from contact with the air at any time after roasting, because oxygen is one of the biggest enemies of coffee.

● The company takes care of CSR op-

erations and a few years ago you introduced briquettes made from coffee chaff as a source of energy (coffee bean husks!). How did this project turn out?

- We can be proud of having invested in a unique heating system, thanks to which those costs have now been reduced to a minimum. In fact, our colleague Nemanja Mašić designed a boiler for heating using briquettes made from the coffee chaff that is left over following the process of coffee processing. In this way, we make complete use of the raw material - or coffee, and use biomass as an energy source. Add to this the curiosity that other companies operating within the framework of Strauss Coffee have since adopted this system and technology and will soon begin using it in their systems. ● The coffee market is facing a large number of coffee products with surrogates from small roasters and the smuggling of raw coffee. How does all this

reflect on manufacturers like Strauss Adriatic, who have a permanent commitment to high quality?

- We take great care in selecting beans for our products, which contain 100 per cent coffee without the addition of a surrogate.

One of the biggest challenges this year is to fight the grey market, illegal trade in coffee

it as genuine. Controversial coffee is sold primarily on the streets and at flea markets, and increasingly can be found in large retail chains. Failure to follow the rules of labeling products directly influences the choice of the consumer, who in this case do not have access to all the information necessary for making the right consumer

Failure to follow the rules of labeling products directly influences the choice of the consumers, who in this case do not have access to all the information necessary for making the right consumer decisions and, thus, they buy products that are not real coffee and an increase in the number of products containing coffee with surrogates. These types of products have significantly lower quality, which is then followed by a lower price, which attracts domestic consumers.

Some manufacturers mix coffee with additives of dubious quality and then sell

decisions. Our challenge is to help our customers by motivating them to read nutrition labels and always buy only those products whose origin and quality are clear and indisputable. With our products, we are always a safe choice, because our coffee is of a proven and unchanged quality. ●

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CORPORATE

AIRPORT CITY

Apples and Honey People are often more receptive to traditions that are not part of their usual cultural norms, and this proved true with Airport City’s apples and honey concept, as well as other Israeli-themed events that we have brought to Belgrade in our own subtle, unobtrusive way.

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odern real estate developments in Belgrade began after 2000. Back then, Airport City Belgrade (ACB) was the biggest investment of its kind… today, with Phase IV of its development just starting, it is still the biggest. However, in the meanwhile it has also positioned itself as the most prestigious and successful project on the Serbian real estate market.

“The ACB concept is unique in our country, but also certain aspects that were achieved here, like creating a sort of urban entity, ensure that it stands out among similar projects. The idea of the ACB Avenue as a central backbone around which everything revolves, and towards which everyone gravitates, made this possible. Business parks of this type elsewhere also have a lot of greenery, which is one of the characteristics of the concept, in addition to parking, telecommunications and Class A office space etc. Here, the basic needs of the business population are met to the highest level, which explains why this project is so successful. Our slogan, “City within the city”, is not a marketing slogan – it is our essence”, says Marina Deleon, Communications Advisor at Airport City Belgrade.

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TRADITION OF GIVING The tradition of giving is an integral part of Jewish cultural heritage and, as such, is one of the pillars of identity of Israelis. Indeed, giving “tzedakah” – and the famous eight levels of giving that are essential for both the giver and the recipient – is something Israelis grow accustomed to as part of their cultural upbringing. However, this kind of altruistic, and ultimately selfless, giving is not the same as corporate philanthropy, which is less about pure donations and more about strategic corporate positioning, and gaining the acceptance of the community at large.

Though part of Africa-Israel and Tidhar - ACBs investors, both of which are international companies, Airport City Belgrade is not itself organised as a big corporation and, as such, it does not have rigid CSR plans. Our approach to CSR, which is generally not so present in the real estate sector, is to represent more of a palette of ideas that we wanted to inspire our clients. Through limited, intimate events, exhibitions and shows, we have sought to draw the attention of clients and tenants to worthy causes that are perhaps less prevalent, offering continuous, thoughtful and

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unobtrusive assistance. This is incomparable in terms of the capacities and volume of projects of big corporations, some of which are even our tenants, and many of which have their own CSR foundations, with substantial budgeting and massive fundraising events, but we do endeavour to offer the same kind of recognition to areas that need to be highlighted as priorities for society at large.

BRIDGING CULTURAL DIVIDES It is only by becoming familiar with another culture that you can get to know and appreciate it. And the Avenue’s activities provide an opportunity for the park’s Israeli owners, as well as our international tenants, to develop an understanding for Serbian tradition, while Jewish and Israeli themed events help bridge the cultural divide – not just between Israel and Serbia, but rather also all other cultures that are present among the many international companies operating in our truly multicultural environment.

It was with this in mind that we brought the Jewish New Year concept of apples and honey to the ACB Avenue. With Smokvica Restaurant as our partner – which prepared honey cakes according to Rem’s special recipe – we endeavoured to introduce what is normally an intimate family custom to the life of the Avenue. People are often more receptive to traditions that are not part of their usual cultural norms, and this proved true with Airport City’s apples and honey concept, as well as other Israeli-themed events that we have brought to Belgrade in our own subtle, unobtrusive way.

BACKBONE & BRIDGEHEAD Over the years, the ACB Avenue has grown to become the liveliest part of the park. Nowadays we are recognisable in a visual image sense by this walkway, which is marked at one end by the absolutely recognisable plane. As such, we are very protective of this area and its image. Activities on the Avenue are subjected to a very meticulous selection process, in order to determine that nothing could jeopardise the harmony of the Avenue, which attracts 7,000 people every day.

There have been some amazing events on the ACB Avenue over the years. For example, there was the kids’ carnival and red

nose comic relief event, which was wonderful and probably showed the Avenue at its most beautiful – with laughing children and clowns and stilt walkers and jugglers and lots of colour – and which also raised donations for a very good cause. We have had projects aimed at improving quality of life and raising public awareness of green issues. We had the

EXCERPT FROM INTERVIEW WITH AIRPORT CITY CEO ADIR EL AL ● You have been in Belgrade for thirteen years already. When you look back on this

period, do you feel like your experience in Serbia has changed and enriched you?

- Many years of experience in Serbia enables us to more easily recognise the characteristics

of the moment, the mentality; to properly assess the reaction of customers, who are very specific here and differ greatly from those in other places where we have built… Living in Serbia has certainly enriched and changed me. It has brought me a lot of experience, knowledge and intercultural experience…. Living here has brought me a different perspective, a different way of thinking and insight into relations than the one I grew up with. All my professional and personal experience in the Belgrade environment has brought me new confidence – confidence that is based on success.

“Vizila – vehicles of imagination” art project that raised public awareness of recycling in a unique and attractive way.

At that time we had several small promotions on issues related to recycling, energy efficiency and waste management. That was six years ago, and it is satisfying to see that those ideas that we pioneered have become much more popular now. From day one, Airport City has proven to be an inspiration for photographers and we have been recorded on photographic images from every conceivable angle and perspective.

With Phase IV of the park’s development now underway, which will see ACB almost double in size, we can expect the significance of the Avenue – and the events it hosts – to continue to grow in terms of significance and appeal, making it even more of a spectacle worthy of countless photographic images. ●

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INTWEWIEV

YEHUDA SARID, LUDAN GROUP CEO

Global Experience, Local Approach Ludan Group offers comprehensive solutions for a wide array of complex projects. The Group’s reputation for innovative solutions has been further enhanced with the development of an In-house Environmental Technologies subsidiary with expertise in groundwater, industrial waste water treatment, soil remediation & gas emissions

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he group is also well known for developing large-scale projects involving the application of advanced technologies, says Yehuda Sarid, CEO of Ludan Group.

waste and waste water and air emissions.

This division also handles Clean Energy projects. These two divisions serve the same industry sectors as the main division and are coherent with the entire group.

● Ludan Group provides integrated solutions which combine several different disciplines. How do you manage to harmonise these?

- Ludan Group offers a blend of engineering

● When it comes to the oil and

gas industry in Serbia, and considering that your company is engaged in building capacities in this economic segment, how satisfied are you with what has been accomplished so far?

- We serve GPN/NIS in its two

services to its customers. Ludan’s structure reflects the industrial sectors that we serve and we have multi-disciplinary capabilities for each one of them.

The motto “Global experience, local approach” really expresses our way of doing business. Accumulated global experience is directed to a specific local mission. We commit to be close to our clients.

We provide our clients with a full range of engineering services, with an emphasis on environmental and process control solutions Traditional engineering is hard core. This is the largest division. It has several offices located in Israel & Europe. All of them are structured in the same way and use the same tools. This is advantageous when we have to support each other. The industrial IT division possesses remarkable experience with all PLCs and DCSs on the market. The Environmental Technologies division treats all kinds of pollutants-soil remediation,

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experience with no relation to the size of a potential project. We try to gain client trust and build working relations from scratch – starting with consultancy, through single discipline design. We are confident that our diversity can fit any need, as we have performed so many projects in so many sectors.

The group management level secures integration and flexibility and BU managers are responsible for daily operations. ● How has the generally negative state of Serbian industry reflected on your operations?

- The local industry is still in a bad shape.

As Ludan is not an investor, but rather an EPC contractor, we are trying to market our

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locations. We are starting construction of a Gasoline In Line Blending system at the Pančevo refinery and are in the final stage of Handover of CO2 removal from the Natural Gas Plant in Elemir. During execution we struggled with the different approach to the definition of a Turn Key project, based on different cultures and mentalities involved in business performance. ● What are the next steps and plans of Ludan Group in Serbia?

- We intend to strengthen our ties on the Serbian market. We envisage foreign and local investments in the agro industry and chemical industry, along with infrastructure and utilities facilities, to which we can bring our vast experience. ●

CORPORATE

AVIV ARLON

Continuing Investments in Serbia

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viv Arlon is an Israeli company founded in 1963. The company has now been operating in Serbia for eight years, mostly investing in real estate.

Aviv Arlon built the first ever retail park in Serbia, Aviv Park Pančevo, spanning an area of almost 30,000 square metres. People here proved to be very receptive to the retail park concept, because it fits the shopping needs of the population in all relevant parameters – from the location to the brands offered at these parks. Aviv Arlon continues to invest in similar projects.

By the end of this year, the company plans to open two more retail facilities – one in Bel-

By the end of this year, we plan to open two more retail facilities – one in Belgrade and one in Zrenjanin. The retail centre in Zvezdara will open in early autumn, enabling the citizens of this Belgrade municipality to enjoy 11,500 square metres of shopping facilities, offering everything a family needs in one place grade and one in Zrenjanin. The retail centre in Zvezdara will open in early autumn, enabling the citizens of this Belgrade municipality to enjoy 11,500 square metres of shopping facilities,

The company plans to open two more retail facilities by the end of this year – one in Belgrade and one in Zrenjanin offering everything a family needs in one place – from hypermarkets, clothes and footwear shops, to sporting goods stores and catering fa-

cilities like café bars and restaurants. Aviv Park in Zrenjanin will be similar to the existing retail park in Pančevo. Because Aviv Arlon always remains true to its concept, the citizens of Zrenjanin will be able to enjoy shops that span 22,500 square meters and take advantage of a parking area with over 800 parking spaces.

The company also plans to build a residential complex in Zvezdara, at the same address as the shopping centre. The construction of this residential facility, which will comprise two twin units with 73 flats, is scheduled to start by year’s end. Stay tuned for more good news from Aviv Arlon soon. ●

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CULTURE

The Art of Dancing The Serbian public is well acquainted with Ohad Naharin, Israel's most dominant choreographer and artistic director of the Batsheva Dance Company – perhaps the best known global ambassador of Israeli culture. However, the story of Israeli dance doesn’t begin or end there

“Vertigo 20”, Vertigo Dance Company

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he combination of range and quality of Israel’s dance scene, like so many other endeavours in this small country, is one of its most extraordinary aspects: extending from ballet, to modern dance, jazz, ethnic, ballroom and folk dancing, which emerged as an amalgam of Jewish and non-Jewish folk dance forms from many parts of the world. While in other countries folk dance is fostered to preserve old rural traditions, in Israel it is a constantly develop-

enthusiasm for dance has led to the emergence of the professional dance leader.

More than a dozen major professional dance companies, most of them based in Tel Aviv, today perform a varied repertoire throughout the country and abroad.

Israel Ballet is the only company in Israel to perform an international repertoire of great classical and neo-classical ballets.

The company was founded in 1967 by Berta Yampolsky and Hillel Markman, who have

More than a dozen major professional dance companies, most of them based in Tel Aviv, today perform a varied repertoire throughout the country and abroad ing art form based on historic and modern sources, as well as biblical associations and contemporary dance styles.

Originally from Europe, Israeli folk dance has been influenced by the traditional dances of different ethnic groups in Israel.

Many dances are choreographed to modern Israeli music, which is a blend of Western and Middle Eastern culture. Widespread

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continued as its artistic directors until the present day. The Israel Ballet Co. has a rich and varied repertoire. In addition to famous neo classical works by George Balanchine, the company’s repertoire includes neo classical and contemporary ballets by Berta Yampolsky and other leading international choreographers.

The Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company was founded in 1970 by Yehudit

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Arnon, a member of the Ga’aton Kibbutz, located in the Galilee area near the Lebanese border. Arnon turned a group of young amateur dancers into one of Israel’s leading contemporary dance companies, steadily gaining international repute. Today, the KCDC is identified with its artistic director and choreographer Rami Be’er. The company is part of the International Dance Village – a unique programme initiated by Be’er in 2008 on the Ga’aton Kibbutz, where dance students from around the world congregate to create.

The Batsheva Dance Company was founded in 1964 by Martha Graham and the Baroness Batsheva De Rothschild. Initially based on Graham’s methods, it always placed a strong emphasis on ballet training. The Batsheva Dance Company has been critically acclaimed and popularly embraced as one of the world’s most exciting contemporary dance companies.

Together with its junior Batsheva Ensemble, the organisation boasts a roster of 40 dancers drawn from Israel and abroad. 2010 marked the 20th anniversary of Ohad Naharin’s arrival as its Artistic Director. Touring extensively throughout the country and internationally, the two companies present 250 performances annually. Accor­ ding to the company,

Batsheva’s works are expressive, dynamic, innovative, emotive, and aesthetic, all of which reflect the energy of the country.

Vertigo is a highly successful modern dance group that was founded in 1992 by dancers Noa Wertheim and Adi Sha’al. Touring worldwide, it has already received several international awards for its work and much of its repertoire features original choreography

by Wertheim, as well as innovative dance projects with other artists.

The Vertigo Dance School in Jerusalem, founded in 1997, provides amateur and professional tuition in classical ballet, modern dance and improvisation. Vertigo sees itself as a messenger of the best of Israeli Art, both at home and abroad, which comes to bring people closer together and touch them through the language of the body. As such, in addition to its performances, the company combines master classes, workshops and co-productions with other

Israeli folk dance

companies from around the world, inviting artists from different fields to create together with the company.

The Inbal Pinto Dance Company’s choreographer and designer, Inbal Pinto, is among the rising stars of international dance. A former member of the Batsheva Dance Company, she has received numerous dance awards since she began choreographing in 1990. Together, along with co-artistic director Avshalom Pollack, Pinto has created numerous dance pieces, such as the world famous work, Oyster, which has been performed hundreds of times in Israel and abroad.

The country’s modern dance scene is further enhanced by a number of smaller groups and independent choreographers whose work is highly appreciated by dance lovers all over the world. The most prominent of these is Yasmeen Godder, who won the Bessie Award in 2001 in New York and numerous awards in Israel. Her dance language is based around the female form, while her work Two Playful Pink has been performed worldwide. Other rising stars include Emanuel Gat and Renana Raz. Since its opening in 1989, the Suzanne Dellal Centre for Dance and Theatre in the newly renovated Neve Tzedek quarter of Tel Aviv has become the focal point of dance activities in the country.

Also in Tel Aviv, the Dance Library of Israel and the Israel Dance Archive, in addition to serving as centres for study and research, also publish books on dance and the Israel Dance Annual.

Israel’s contributions to the field of movement education include the methods of Moshe Feldenkrais, which are taught all over the world, and the Eshkol-Wachman movement notation system, one of the three best-known systems for recording dance and movement in written form. ● WORLD’S MARKETS AND OPPORTUNITIES

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TOURISM

Finding Old and New in Kibbutzim

It is said that you have to live among a country’s inhabitants in order to really get to know it. One way to do this in Israel is to visit one of many kibbutz communities, which offer a unique insight into the foundations of the State of Israel Moshav farm at Nahalal

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hroughout Israel, from north to south, kibbutzim and moshava farming communities enable guests to gain an insight into the kibbutz that represent some of the country’s most unique communities. Visiting a kibbutz in Israel offers a unique insight into the foundations of the State of Israel, and the special social conditions which the kibbutz created, as well as a generation of founding figures.

Kibbutz means “group” in Hebrew. It is a modest name for something unique: a voluntary democratic community where people live and work together on a non-competitive

working the land with their Zionist creed.

Today there are approximately 270 kibbutzim varying in size from 80 to over 2,000 people, which are scattered throughout Israel. With a total population of around 120,000, these communities represent about 2.8 per cent of Israel’s population.

In the last decade and a half, the kibbutz has evolved from a community dependent solely on agriculture, to a diverse, entrepreneurial and innovative economy that still manages to retain its core values of sharing. More than a generation ago, for example, they gave up the idea of children sleeping in group

The kibbutz has evolved from a community dependent solely on agriculture to a diverse, entrepreneurial and innovative economy which lures tourists seeking to stay in rural holiday resorts or eco-villages basis. Its aim is to generate an economically and socially independent society founded on principles of communal ownership of property, social justice and equality.

The kibbutz movement began around the turn of the 20th century, when groups of young pioneers from Eastern Europe decided to combine their commitment to egalitarianism and their love of nature and

of products – from electronics, furniture, household appliances and plastics, to farm machinery and irrigation systems. As Israel’s population grew and urban centres expanded, some kibbutzim found themselves virtual urban suburbs. Due to this proximity, many of them now offer services to the public, such as commercial laundries, catering, factory outlet stores and child care, including summer camps.

Most kibbutz members work in some section of the kibbutz economy: orchards, factory production, dairy, fish farming, or in one of its maintenance units. Routine jobs, such as dining room duties, are rotated among members. When too few members are available for a particular job, external workers may be hired and paid wages, or receive room and board on the kibbutz.

Some members of kibbutz identify strongly with the pioneer spirit that founded the kibbutz.

Many others, if not pioneers themselves, are

quarters watched over by kibbutz caregivers, which in the old days was considered essential to maximise working hands. Today, some kibbutzim have decided to foster greater individual enterprise, while continuing to share elements of their cultural and social lives.

Most kibbutzim have branched out into industry in order to increase their productivity.

Kibbutz factories manufacture a wide variety K ibbutz Nir Eliyahu

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Kibbutz Ramat Yohanan: Water Festival

Dining house in Kibbutz Gadot

the children of those pioneers, now grown up and with families of their own on the kibbutz.

Compared to the past, kibbutzim today offer members a much wider range of individual choices. Members have more latitude in all aspects of their lives, from the selection of clothing and home furnishings, to where and how they wish to spend their holidays. More opportunities are available to participate in higher education, while the special needs of artists and writers are recognised and they are given time to pursue their own projects.

It is hard to define comprehensively what the kibbutz represents today.

As the BBC writes, to some a kibbutz is a co-operative voluntary community, to others it is an agricultural or industrial village – and, to a growing number of travellers, it is an alternative way to kick back and enjoy the country views.

Since all kibbutzim began as farms, they are located in Israel’s most beautiful regions.

As such, many kibbutzim have rebranded themselves as rural holiday resorts or ecovillages, ensuring they remain relevant in the 21st Century. This makes them an alluring destination for visitors, and many operate hotels and/or bed-and-breakfast facilities.

It used to be popular to visit Israel by staying in kibbutz and volunteering on one of 30 or so kibbutzim for a minimum of two months and a maximum of six months. However, today more tourists go for the more comfortable solution by paying for their bed and breakfast. Many of the kibbutzim, from the Golan Heights down to the Arava Desert, now offer fully-fledged resorts with heated swimming pools, gyms, spa treatments, WiFi connections and multimedia conference rooms.

Apart from beautiful nature and high quality accommodation, kibbutzim also offer impressive insights into the Israeli culture.

Over the years, the kibbutzim have evolved unique ways of celebrating traditional Jewish festivals and national holidays, as well as personal milestones like weddings, bar/ bat mitzvahs and anniversaries. Seasonal and agricultural events, which were commemorated in biblical times, have been revitalised through song, dance and the arts.

Cultural activity abounds, with films and professional performances presented frequently in kibbutz auditoriums, in addition to several hours of daily internally-broadcast television, offering programmes geared to cater to the interests and tastes of members. Pooling the talents of kibbutz members all over the country, kibbutz movements sponsor a number of professional groups, including a symphony orchestra, chamber ensembles, modern and folk dance troupes, choirs and a theatre company, which perform regularly in Israel and abroad.

Museums specialising in subjects like archaeology, nature, art, Jewish history and the development of the land of Israel have been established by some kibbutzim, attracting members and visitors in large numbers. ●

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WORLD’S MARKETS AND OPPORTUNITIES