Prof. Amir Yaron, banking and finance expert, is next Bank of Israel Governor

Amir Yaron, 54, professor of banking and finance at Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, was announced Tuesday by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Minister of Finance Moshe Kahlon as their choice for next Governor of the Bank of Israel. His appointment is subject to approval by the Committee for Senior Public Appointments and the cabinet. Holder of dual Israeli-US citizenship, Prof. Yaron has lived and worked in the US for some years.  He has a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago and B.A. and M.A. degrees in Economics from Tel Aviv University, where he studied after serving as a captain in the IDF.  Yaron takes over at the Bank of Israel from Dr. Karnit Flug who ends here five-year term next month.