Avi Salma

Avi Shimon Slama (Hebrew: אבי שמעון סלמה; born 13 May 1982) is a prominent Israeli municipal financialist in Netanya, and Head of Israel Representative Office of Hyposwiss Bank located in Geneva.
Slama was born in Netanya, a city in the Central District of Israel to Jewish Tunisian-descent parents; Meir and Rita, Slama has two additional siblings consisting of a boy and a girl. He studied at “Yeshourun” elementary school and completed high school in Bar Ilan in 2000. Before Slama’s mandatory IDF national service, he had an additional year of study at ‘Kedem’ IDF preparatory school for the intelligence unit in Rosh Pina, a local council in Israel’s Upper Galilee. He served in the IDF’s Intelligence Unit. Near the end of his military service, Slama began working as the manager at a locally popular grill. 
Following his official release from military service he began studies at the Netanya Academic College for a dual bachelor's degree in business management and insurance. Upon finishing his bachelor’s degree, Slama began his graduate degree in business management and marketing. During this time, Slama began working as a financial advisor in helping immigrant families manage housing-related financial and economic matters.
From the year of 2006, Slama began working at one of the Bank of Jerusalem branches in Tel Aviv as a manager for citizens from abroad. In 2009 he was requested by the Bank to manage the entire department. In the year of 2011, Slama was promoted to head of the bank’s national sales. In 2013 at the age of 31, he was the financer to the manager, making him amongst the youngest in this position in the country. In 2016, at the age of 34, he was promoted to head of the entire Tel Aviv branch of the bank. At the age of 35, Slama got a job proposal from the Swiss HYPOSWISS bank, and since 2017 until today, Slama has been the director of mission for the Bank of Israel.
At the age of 36 in 2018, Slama competed in the local municipal elections for the city council. He was elected as the 16th senior position for the City of Netanya. 
During his term, Slama supervised the city finances and helped the city invest in volunteering programs along with city developments. With his financially experienced background, Slama served as the commissioner of the municipal absorption division, and as a member of the steering committee for the unification of all activity and community centers. Additionally, Slama was appointed to be a board member of the Association for informal education, along with the position of the municipal audit committee. Slama as well is a member of the municipal audit committee, as well as already a full-fledged member of the planning and building committee. 
On the 5th of March, 2022, the city mayor, Miriam Feirberg-Ikar proposed to promote SLama as deputy mayor, but Slama refused the position. 
As the commissioner of finances, he brought himself to the fore while managing to pass the municipal budget estimated at about 2-2.5 million NIS in cooperation with all the city council factions.
Slama was one of the leaders of the financial processes during the period of COVID-19 in order to maintain and improve the financial strength of the municipality throughout the pandemic.
Upon the municipal elections of 2023, polls revealed Slama’s local popularity. On the 22nd of January, 2023 Slama announced that he will run for mayor's office. He stated that he will put emphasis on the residence of the city along with ensuring women's rights and equality in all spaces. 
Slama is married to Ma’ayan and is the father of two children, Oriyah and Itamar, and resides in Netanya. 
Category:1982 births
Category:People from Netanya	
Category:Financial services
Category:Banks of Israel