Islam Times - Ex-Mossad Chief Cohen to Lead “Israel’s” Office of Japan’s SoftBank Group

Ex-Mossad Chief Cohen to Lead “Israel’s” Office of Japan’s SoftBank Group

Islam Times - Yossi Cohen, who retired as chief of the “Israeli” spy agency last month, will be put in charge of operations for Japanese billionaire Masayoshi Son's SoftBank, “Israeli” Globes news outlet reported on Friday.

According to the report, one of the grounds for hiring Cohen is that, despite his lack of investment experience, he is a well-known and popular person in the “Israeli” entity. Moreover, Cohen reportedly has links to “Israeli” entrepreneurship and technology experts, and can open doors for them in any corporation, government, or public body in any country.

"SoftBank has pioneered a new approach to technology investing and created the world’s largest ecosystem of emerging technology champions," Cohen is quoted in the report as saying while commenting on the news.

Cohen will reportedly be in charge of SoftBank's activities in the entity, scouting firms for investment and assisting those companies in finding worldwide markets, with a focus on Asia. The former intelligence service chief will join SoftBank's Europe and Middle East team, which is led by SoftBank Vision Fund managing partner Yanni Pipilis and is based in London.

Also, Cohen will be a member of SoftBank's second fund, worth $30 billion, but will not invest from the firm's first fund, which has the Saudi Arabia national wealth fund among its investors.

According to the outlet, SoftBank plans to send a $50 million check to growing firms with a valuation of at least $250 million that have demonstrated high-level AI technologies. SoftBank will need businesses to have at least $10 million in yearly revenue, a track record of quick growth, and metrics that indicate profitability, even if just in the medium future.

59-year-old Cohen was recruited by Mossad in 1982 while studying abroad in London, and rose through the ranks of the organization to become its chief after a brief term as the entity’s “National Security Council chief”. Even while he led operations against Iran's nuclear program and helped lead the entity’s clandestine ties with Arab nations, Cohen had a particularly public profile for an Israeli espionage head.

Cohen, who was appointed by former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, stated earlier that he did not rule out the possibility of running for the premiership of the entity in the future, though he is not considering it at this time.

After more than five years as chief of the Mossad, he stood down on June 1 shortly before Yair Lapid informed the nation's president of the formation of a new coalition government. David Barnea is now the chief of Mossad.