Nir Barkat
A tech entrepreneur turned politician who applied startup pragmatism to the ancient tensions and daily challenges of governing Jerusalem.
Born 1959 (age 67)·Israeli businessman and politician·Birthday: October 19·Baby Boomers
Biography
Nir Barkat approached the mayoralty of Jerusalem not as a career politician, but as a problem-solving CEO. Before entering public life, he co-founded BRM Technologies, a successful anti-virus software company, giving him a fortune and a management ethos he would later import to City Hall. Elected mayor in 2008, he served for a decade, a period marked by significant infrastructure development and a relentless focus on economic growth and tourism. Barkat, a secular Jew, navigated the city's profound religious and ethnic divisions with a business-minded emphasis on shared civic projects, from expanding the light rail to developing cultural districts. His tenure saw both controversy and construction cranes, reflecting his belief in tangible development as a path forward. After a term out of office, he returned to national politics, bringing his blend of entrepreneurial zeal and Jerusalem-hardened experience to the role of Minister of Economy.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Nir was born in 1959, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Nir Was Born
The biggest hits of 1959
#1 Movie
Ben-Hur
Best Picture
Ben-Hur
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Nir's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1959Born
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1964Started school
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1972Became a teenager
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1975Could drive
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1977Could vote
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1980Turned 21
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1989Turned 30
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1999Turned 40
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 50
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 60
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 67 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as Mayor of Jerusalem for two terms, from 2008 to 2018, overseeing major urban development projects.
- Founded and served as CEO of BRM Technologies, a pioneer in anti-virus software later sold for hundreds of millions of dollars.
- As Minister of Economy, has championed initiatives to strengthen Israel's tech sector and international trade ties.
- Led a significant expansion of Jerusalem's public transportation system, including the contentious but operational light rail.
Did You Know?
He is a certified paratrooper and served as a company commander in the Israel Defense Forces' Paratroopers Brigade.
During his military service, he was seriously wounded in a training accident.
He was an early investor in the Israeli navigation app Waze, before its acquisition by Google.
He is an avid mountain biker and can often be seen cycling around Jerusalem.
“I look at Jerusalem as a start-up. A start-up that is 3,000 years old.”
