The Director-General of the Prime Minister’s Office, the man who keeps the Prime Minister’s team up and running, Eli Groner, has announced he will be stepping down from his post at the end of the Knesset summer session.

Groner has informed Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu of his intention to conclude his duties and will do so upon the close of the Knesset summer session. The Prime Minister thanked him for his service and asked him to complete the business licensing reform during the current session.

Eli Groner began serving as PMO Director General in May 2015 after having served as Israel’s economic attaché in Washington and in various senior business sector positions including with McKinsey and Tnuva.

PMO Director General Groner led the diplomatic and strategic staff work carried out at the PMO on various economic, social and civilian issues, on behalf of the Prime Minister. He did so in conjunction with other government ministries, the Knesset, local authorities and key economic figures. Among the reforms he led were reducing overregulation and the cost of living, approval of the gas outline, business licensing reform, the formulation and approval of national digital health and smart transportation plans, establishing the cyber directorate, comprehensive reform of planning and construction laws and the numerator legislation. He also oversaw the adoption of advanced administration models in the public sector, especially reporting to the public on government decisions, work plans and the development of government data banks.

Prime Minister Netanyahu: “I thank Eli Groner for his dedicated work in advancing issues of great importance in the socio-economic sphere. The actions he led on my behalf, such as reducing overregulation, the numerator law and the gas outline, will affect the public and the Israeli economy for years to come.”

PMO Director-General Groner: “I thank Prime Minister Netanyahu for affording me the opportunity to lead significant actions for the Israeli economy and society. Completing the business licensing reform is a natural and proper point for me to hand the reins to my successor. Our Sages said, ‘It is not for you to complete the work’ and I wish the Prime Minister and my successor great success.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)