Israel was able to occupy Wall Street on Tuesday, as the New York Stock Exchange celebrated its annual Israel Day in conjunction with the America - Israel Friendship League and the Israel - America Chamber of Commerce.
The Israeli presence on the American financial scene is significant. The total market capitalization of the 14 Israeli companies listed on NYSE Euronext markets is approximately $11.4 billion.I'm sure the conspiracy theorists outside the Exchange have a very different view, but I would have loved to be inside.
The day’s conference, titled “A Partnership of Business Innovation,” featured speakers including [Israel - America Chamber of Commerce Chairwoman Ofra] Strauss, Israeli Ambassador to the UN Ron Prosor and Israeli Consul-General Ido Aharoni.
Roundtable sessions at the end of the day focused on showing that Israel can be a good partner for American businesses both to increase exports and create jobs.
Tamar Guy, CEO of the Israeli-American Chamber of Commerce, noted that this particular conference is different from all other conferences in that where other meetings are highly specialized, this one is deliberately broad. This is in order to serve as a cross-section of the variety of opportunities available to cross-border investors.
“The thing we’re trying to show is that partnership and innovation are beneficial to both Israelis and Americans,” Guy said. “One of the best places to create jobs in the US is through innovation, and the best source for innovation is, naturally, Israel.”
