Thursday, March 28th | 18 Adar II 5784
BUSINESS
Visionary Israeli entrepreneur Birnbaum became the CEO of SodaStream in 2007, going on to turn the popular home seltzer machine into a global brand name within a few years. In August 2018, Birnbaum's business reputation was further enhanced when he announced a $3.2 billion deal with American soda giant PepsiCo. Under the terms of the deal, SodaStream remains an independent brand, and the company will be expanding its operations in Israel as a result. "We will have access to new markets, new countries, capital to expand our factory, so everything that it takes to grow a business will now be greater,” Birnbaum said of the deal. A graduate of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the holder of a Harvard Business School MBA, Birnbaum currently employs 2,500 workers, both Israeli and Palestinian, and has pledged to create even more jobs. (Photo: SodaStream.)
BUSINESS