Israel's former envoy to India appointed as chairman of Adani's Haifa Port

New Delhi [India], April 3 : Former Israeli envoy to India, Ron Malka, said that he took office as the Executive Chairman of the Haifa Port Company (HPC), owned by Indian ports-to-energy conglomerate Ad Group.

"I'm honored and privileged to take office today as Executive Chairman of the Haifa Port Company, on behalf of @AdOnline. The experience and expertise of Ad and Gadot, combined with the dedication of the port workers, will take Haifa Port to new heights of prosperity," Malka tweeted on Sunday (local time).

In July 2022, a consortium of Ad Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ) and Israel's Gadot Group won the tender to privatise the Port of Haifa for USD 1.18 billion.

The port was formally handed over to the consortium in January this year. Chairman of the Ad group Gautam Ad had then met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"Privileged to meet with @IsraeliPM @netanyahu on this momentous day as the Port of Haifa is handed over to the Ad Group. The Abraham Accord will be a game changer for the Mediterranean sea logistics. Ad Gadot set to transform Haifa Port into a landmark for all to admire," Gautam Ad had said in a tweet.

Ron Malka was appointed as the envoy to India in late 2018 and his stint ended in mid-2021. His educational background includes graduation in Economics and Business Administration, an MBA in Finance and Business Administration and a PhD in Economics.

The Port of Haifa is located towards the north of Israel. It is close to the city of Haifa, the third largest city in Israel. It is also one of the major industrial areas of Israel.

It handles nearly half of Israel's container cargo and is a principal port for passenger traffic and cruise ships.

Ad group has invested heavily in new growth sectors, including airports, cement, copper refining, data centres, green hydrogen, petrochemical refining, roads, and solar cell manufacturing.

It plans to foray into the telecom space and has massive plans to grow its green hydrogen and airport businesses.