ZIM's Management Team
Eli Glickman has multiple decades of leadership experience and has served as our Chief Executive Officer and President since July 2017. Since joining ZIM, Mr. Glickman has transformed the company into a global industry leader through significant strategic shifts focused on innovation and data-driven initiatives to respond to market changes. Prior to joining us, Mr. Glickman served as Chief Executive Officer of the Israeli Electric Corporation, the country's largest utility company, from 2011 to 2015. Prior to that, he served as Deputy Chief Executive Officer and VP Customers of Partner — Orange Cellular Communication, a leader in the Israeli cellular market. Previously, Mr. Glickman served in the Israeli Navy, including as Commanding Officer of the Israeli Navy Commandos (SEALS) and the Naval Attaché of Israel to the U.S. in Washington, D.C. Mr. Glickman holds a master of science in financial management from the Naval Postgraduate School of Monterey (California) and is a graduate of Georgetown University’s International Executive Business Administration program.
David Arbel has over 20 years of shipping experience and has served as our Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer since July 2015. As COO, he is responsible for our operational and procurement activities globally. Prior to joining us, Mr. Arbel served in various senior positions in the Israeli Navy over 28 years, such as Head of the Planning, Maintenance and Logistics Division. Mr. Arbel holds a B.Sc. in mechanical engineering and a master’s degree in business administration and high tech management from the Israel Institute of Technology.
Nir Avni has been appointed as VP Medium & Small Countries in August 2022. Prior to his current position, Mr. Avni served as Managing Director of ZIM Israel since 2016, responsible for and in charge of the sales, customer service, logistics, finance and operations disciplines. Prior to this, and among other executive commercial roles, Mr. Avni served as the Regional Commercial Manager in the Mediterranean and Black Sea countries. He also served as Managing Director of ZIM’s agency in Italy, and as Managing Director of ZIM's agency covering Greece and the Balkan countries. Mr. Avni brings with him 26 years of successful managerial experience in the container shipping and ocean transportation industry, along with extensive knowledge in logistics and the supply chain. He holds a bachelor's degree in statistics and a master’s degree in business administration specializing in ports and shipping from Haifa University.
Eyal Ben-Amram has served as our Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer since July 2015. Prior to joining us, he served as Vice President of Operations at N-trig from 2010 to June 2015, as COO of Leadcom during 2009, as CIO and Head of Delivery Operations at Amdocs from 2004-2008, as Vice President of Operations at Scitex Vision and Aprion Digital from 1999 to 2002, as Planning and Control manager at Scitex from 1995 to 1999 and as Senior Operational Researcher at El-Al Israel Airlines from 1990 to 1995. Mr. Ben-Amram holds a B.Sc. with honors in industrial engineering and a master’s degree in business administration with honors from Tel Aviv University.
Xavier Destriau has over 20 years of financial management experience and has served as our Chief Financial Officer since June 2018, applying a global mindset to drive growth and deliver profitability. Previously, Mr. Destriau held various senior positions, gaining more than ten years of international shipping experience with CMA CGM, one of the world’s largest transportation and shipping companies, such as CFO Asia and then Vice President — Head of Group Financing. At CMA CGM, he focused on managing the consolidated group debt and developing a diversified financing strategy with a strong Asian focus. Prior to that, Mr. Destriau served as Financial Planning and Analysis Manager for Europe at Honeywell Inc. Mr. Destriau holds a Chemical Engineering degree from CPE Lyon and a Business degree from EM Lyon Business School.
Saar Dotan has served as our Executive Vice President of Countries & Business Development since September 2018. Mr. Dotan has been with ZIM since March 2005 and a member of the senior management team from March 2007, serving in various management positions, including Executive Vice President of Sales & Customer Service, Vice President of Europe Area, Vice President of Ship Management & Chartering and Vice President of Human Resources. Prior to joining ZIM, from March 1996 to February 2005, Mr. Dotan served in Ofer Brothers Haifa in various managerial positions. Mr. Dotan holds M.B.A and B.A in Economics from the University of Haifa.
Hani Kalinski has been appointed as our Executive Vice President of Pacific BU in September 2022. Prior to serving in this position, Ms. Kalinski has served as our VP of Medium and Small Countries since April 2018. She also served as our Director of Europe and East Mediterranean from April 2016 to March 2018, and as a Business Unit Manager from May 2010 to March 2016. Previous to that, Ms. Kalinski served in various senior financial positions. Ms. Kalinski holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from University of Haifa and a master’s degree in business administration from Tel Aviv University.
Abdallah Metanes has been appointed as VP Intra-Asia BU in September 2023. Mr. Metanes joined ZIM in 2005 at the Global Network Development & Cooperation Unit, and since then has fulfilled several executive commercial roles, both in the HO and in Hong Kong as the Asia-North America commercial Director. Prior to his current position, Mr. Metanes has successfully led the Asia-Europe Cluster in the Cross-Suez and Atlantic BU, contributing to ZIM’s success and business results. Mr. Metanes has extensive commercial knowledge and experience in managing lines as well as broader understanding of Asian markets. Mr. Metanes holds B.Sc in Industrial Engineering & Management from the Technion- Israel Institute of Technology and Executive MBA from the University of Haifa.
Noam Nativ is a veteran attorney with extensive corporate and financial legal experience spanning over 20 years. He has served as our EVP General Counsel and Company Secretary since May 2018. Prior to joining us, Mr. Nativ served as Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Tnuva from October 2012 to May 2018 and as a partner at the law firm of Goldfarb Seligman & Co. from 2004 to 2012. Mr. Nativ holds an LLB (magna cum laude) from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem and an LL.M. from the University of Chicago Law School and is admitted to practice law in Israel and in the State of New York.
Irit Samuel has over 30 years of experience in ZIM and has served as our Line Manager of Atlantic services – Cross Suez and Atlantic BU since 2014. As part of her role, she was responsible for managing the Atlantic cluster containing 4 services between the Mediterranean and North America. Prior to this role, Ms. Samuel served as Manager of the Equipment and Logistics Division and several other managerial positions in logistics. Ms. Samuel holds a B.Sc. in Mathematics with a program in Operational Research from the Tel Aviv University and an M.Sc. in Applied Statistics and Operational Research from the Birkbeck College, University of London.
Karin Schweitzer has been appointed as VP Global Customer Service in July 2022. Mrs. Schweitzer has over 12 years of customer operations managerial experience. Prior to serving in this position, Mrs. Schweitzer served as Head of Global Shared Services, from 2018. Before joining us, Mrs. Schweitzer held various managerial roles in operations and customer delivery areas at Nice Systems (2015-2017). Mrs. Schweitzer previously served in various positions at AMDOCS, including Director of Operational Excellence, Delivery Group Management PMO & Senior Consultant. Mrs. Schweitzer holds an MBA from Heriot-Watt University and a BA in Statistics & extended law studies from Haifa University, and completed Directors executive education at the Reichman University.
Yair Teitelbaum has served as our Executive Vice President of Global Sales since September 2018. Prior to joining us, Mr. Teitelbaum served as Senior Director, Head of Mitsubishi Motors Israel Division in Colmobil Corp. from March 2015 to September 2018. Previously, Mr. Teitelbaum served in various managerial sales positions in Partner Communication company Ltd. (Orange IL), including as a Director, Head of sales division and Director of Sales for Business Customers, Region manager and Department sales manager. Mr. Teitelbaum holds a master’s degree in Business Administration from Ono Academic College, Israel, and a B.A in Economics and Management from the College of Management, in Tel-Aviv, Israel.
Assaf Tiran has been appointed as EVP Cross Suez & Atlantic BU in August 2022. He has previously served as our VP of Global Customer Service since April 2018. Prior to joining us, Mr. Tiran worked at ECI Telecom for five years where he served as Global Services Division Business Manager & EMEA Regional Manager, and then as Vice President - Global Services Division. From 2002 to 2012, Mr. Tiran had various managerial positions at Partner Communication – Orange IL, including as Director, Head of Frontal Services formation between 2007 to 2012. Mr. Tiran holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Derby.
Prior to his current position, Nissim Yochai has served as our Executive Vice President of Trans Pacific Trade since March 2016, based in our regional office in Hong Kong. He joined us in 2011 with a long record of senior managerial experience in shipping and logistics. Prior to serving in his current position, Mr. Yochai served as our Vice President of Global Sales from February 2015 to March 2016 and as Vice President of Corporate Customer Relationships from December 2011 to January 2015. Before joining us, Mr. Yochai served as Managing Director of Aviv Shigur Ltd, a courier services company, and as General Manager of Fridenson Air and Ocean LTD. Mr. Yochai worked for DHL Express in a variety of commercial roles, including Commercial Manager for South East Europe based in Vienna and Europe Sales Performance Manager based in Brussels, among others. Mr. Yochai holds a B.A. in business and economics from Bar Ilan University in Israel and a master’s degree in Business Administration from New York Institute of Technology in New York.