Moshe Gaon

Moshe Gaon
משה גאון
Born	(1964-07-04)4 July 1964 Petah Tikva, Israel
Nationality	Israeli
Alma mater	The Tel Aviv University
Occupation(s)	Marketing and political strategic advisor

Moshe Gaon (born July 4, 1964) is an Israeli businessman and political consultant.^[1][2] Gaon is also an entrepreneur and investor in high-tech companies.

Biography[edit]

Moshe Gaon, the son of businessman Benny Gaon, is the second of four siblings. He was born in Petah Tikva. The family moved to Bat Yam and then the Neve Rasko neighborhood in Ramat Hasharon. He was a student at Rothberg High School.^[3] After graduation, he was drafted into the IDF and served in the Shaldag Unit.

In 1984, Gaon began his studies at Tel Aviv University in Political Science and Communication, graduating with honors. In 1989, he pursued a master's degree in advertising at Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois, completing his studies in 1990.

Business career[edit]

In 1990, he began working at BBDO advertising agency in New York, managing budgets for international companies such as Pizza Hut, Federal Express, and Timberland (later acquired by Procter & Gamble). In July 1993, he returned to Israel and joined the advertising agency Bauman Bar, which later changed its name to Bauman Bar Rivnai. Gaon initially served as the head of the strategic planning unit he established. The following year he became an equal partner in the firm, alongside Yoram Bauman, Miki Bar, and Shoni Rivnai. He was later appointed CEO, replacing Yoram Bauman who became the chairman of the group. Gaon served in this position until his father's death in May 2008.^[4]

Gaon led the team that won the tender to operate Israel's second cellular network, choosing the name and branding of the Cellcom company in 1994.^[5] Gaon worked with Cellcom for 11 more years. He was involved in important marketing moves in the Israeli advertising industry, including establishing the industry's first planning department based on the English model; establishing the first media company, BBAROR, for Procter & Gamble in Israel; and introducing airtime purchasing methods after the establishment of Israel's first commercial channel, Channel 2. Gaon helped to launch Cellcom's first device, the rebranding of many products and services, and the introduction of international products to Israel, such as Pampers, Head & Shoulders, and Ariel for Procter & Gamble. His clients have included Caia, Mazda, Super-Pharm, Coca-Cola, Unilever, Pelephone, HOT, Strauss and Bezeq 013.^[6][5][1]

In 1998, with the establishment of Gaon Holdings, he joined as a director and served for three years as the chairman of the company's strategic committee, as well as a director and shareholder in Gaon Retail and Trade.

He was a strategic advisor to Ehud Barak for six years, and the strategy and communications manager of his 1999 election campaign. During this campaign, he was involved in the fictitious association affair established to circumvent the party funding law,^[7] and also in Barak's 2001 election campaign, in which Ariel Sharon won.^[8][9]

In 2005, he established the Idea Store, an independent division for strategic consulting.^[9] That year, he founded Xtrip with Erez Baraz, a company for adventure tours and self-driving trips in four-wheel drive vehicles and motorcycles around the world. In 2007, Gaon resumed his position as CEO of the Bauman Bar Rivnai Group.^[9][1]

In 2010, Gaon and journalist Attila Shumpfalvi published, "The New Zionism," a manifesto proposing a national vision for the State of Israel based on the establishment of a national fund to reduce dependence on oil and solve the global water crisis. He supported the tent protest in the summer of 2011.^[10][11]

In 2017, Gaon and his sister Michal rejoined the board of directors of B. Gaon Holdings. He is also a board member of the subsidiary company, Gaon Group (Middle East Pipes).^[12]

Disability activism[edit]

In 2016, Gaon helped to establish yoocanfind.com, an international community website that publishes the personal stories of people with disabilities. The site contains stories of disabled individuals from over 105 countries and allows people to share their personal experiences and connect with others in the disabled community. It also posts links to important services and products that can impact positively on their lives.^{[13][14][15][16]}

Literary career[edit]

In 2018, Gaon published the book Killer Instinct, a professional guide for political strategists and campaign managers, together with Il Ard and Dr. Erez Yaacoby. The book is used as a textbook in schools of communication, political science, and government in Israel.^[17]

Personal life[edit]

Gaon is divorced and a father of four children. His brother is journalist and playwright Boaz Gaon, and his uncle is singer and actor Yehoram Gaon. Gaon lived in Kfar Shmaryahu.

References[edit]