In 2016, Michael R. Bloomberg, a distinguished businessman, philanthropist, and former mayor of New York City, pioneered a groundbreaking venture tailored for mayors and city executives: The Bloomberg-Harvard City Leadership Initiative. Inspired by his transformative leadership in rebuilding New York City after the 9/11 tragedy, Bloomberg envisioned a program dedicated to fortifying leadership and management skills for mayors – initially throughout the United States and later globally.
Annually, the initiative meticulously handpicks 40 mayors and 80 senior city executives to partake in its transformative curriculum. Over the course of six years, this initiative has successfully equipped 196 mayors and 318 city executives hailing from 25 different countries with invaluable insights into organizational best practices. Through a comprehensive approach, the program equips mayors and city executives with leadership and management skills, establishes powerful networks, advocates for cutting-edge research, and propels the entire field of city management to new heights.
So, how did Israel become the first country outside the U.S. to host this prestigious leadership program? As it happened, through authentic friendship and a love for Israel. In 2018, Yossi Sagol, a Harvard alum and former CEO of Keter Plastics, approached his
longtime friend Michael Bloomberg about creating an Israeli version of the city leadership program. The goal? To strengthen Israel from the local level up.
Thus, the Bloomberg-Sagol Center for City Leadership was launched at Tel Aviv University in 2022 and it currently operates under the leadership of Prof. Moshe Zviran, former Dean of the Coller School of Management. Inspired by the experience gained by the Bloomberg-Harvard initiative, it leverages global expertise to empower Israel's mayors and city officials.
Bloomberg Philanthropies invests in 700 cities and 150 countries around the world to ensure better, longer lives for the greatest number of people.
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