Google Israel CEO: Our Talent is Amazing, but We Face a Serious Problem

Barak Regev, CEO of Google Israel, spoke at a Calcalist conference in New York two years ago. He reflected on his rise from selling oranges as a teenager to becoming a tech executive.

During the presentation, Regev was interrupted by a pro-Palestinian engineer who shouted that he refused to build technology for 'genocide and apartheid' through Project Nimbus. The protester, Eddie Hatfield, was later fired.

Regev acknowledged that this incident marked a turning point in the company's approach, emphasizing the importance of diversity of opinion within Google.

The CEO stated that Google Cloud provides services to many governments worldwide, including Israel, and that Nimbus is not intended for military or intelligence uses. He highlighted the success of Wiz, an Israeli high-tech company acquired by Google for $32 billion, as well as Google's massive investment in its chip division operating in Israel.

Regev attributed the international tech companies' interest in Israel to the country's 'amazing, outstanding and highly sought-after talent', but emphasized the need for stability to ensure their continued presence.