Zion Kenan

Early life and career

Kenan was born in 1955. His banking career began in 1978 as an employee at the Herzl Street branch of Bank Hapoalim in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Kenan was named head of the Human Resource division in 1995, his first senior management role at Bank Hapoalim. Three years later he was named regional head of the Bank’s Retail Division, in charge of the Southern region of Israel, where he was responsible for 40 branches and 1,000 employees.

In 2000, Kenan was promoted within the Retail division, with responsibility for 250 retail branches. The following year he became part of the Bank’s executive management team and was promoted to Head of the Human Resource and Logistics division.

In 2003, he was named Head of Retail Banking, where he is credited with significantly increasing the use of online banking by retail customers and where he focused on improving the training and career development opportunities for Bank employees.

In 2007, Kenan was named Head of Commercial Banking, a division that serves Israel’s largest corporations. In that role he established a strategy, marketing and business development group that specializes in developing fully customized banking and business solutions for clients.

In August 2009, Kenan was named CEO of Bank Hapoalim. Under his leadership, Hapoalim has reclaimed its position as Israel’s largest bank and leading financial institution, with international operations worldwide. Kenan has focused on bringing cutting edge banking technologies to the Bank’s clients, and has developed a new concept of dedicated Business Centers, designed to meet the needs of a new generation of clients.

Kenan is also focused on the small business segment, having initiated the annual ‘Small Business Day,’ and has championed financial education for customers as the key to ensuring their long-term financial freedom and security.

Under his leadership, Bank Hapoalim has put significant emphasis on giving back to the communities in which it operates, and is the largest donor to social causes. The Bank has also made sustainability, environmental protection and corporate social responsibility a key priority.

During his tenure, the Bank has received international recognition, including awards from leading magazines such as The Banker and Euromoney.

Kenan has a Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences and a Master’s degree in Labor Studies. He is married and has three children.