Orit Farkash-Hacohen

Orit Farkash-Hacohen

Israel's Minister of Science, Innovation, and Technology
Orit Farkash

Minister Farkash-Hacohen is a graduate of the Faculty of Law at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and clerked for Supreme Court Justice Dalia Dorner. She began working for a leading law  firm  in  the  private  sector,  and  then  moved  to  the  public  sector  as  the head  of  litigation  at Israel's Antitrust Authority.

In  2003,  Minister  Farkash-Hacohen  served  as  the  legal  advisor  to  the  Israel  Public  Utility Authority for Electricity and later was appointed as the first woman to serve as its chairperson and director-general, a position she held for five years (2011-2016).

During her tenure as chairperson, she pushed for opening up Israel's energy production market to competition and encouraged the creation of a renewable energy industry.

Until being elected as a Member of Knesset in 2019, Minister Farkash-Hacohen was a partner at a leading law firm in Israel, where she directed its energy and infrastructure practice. Prior to becoming Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, she held various positions in the government including Minister of Tourism, Minister of Strategic Affairs and member of the National Security Cabinet.

In 2006-2007, Minister Farkash-Hacohen attended Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, earning her Master's Degree in public administration. She is  a  visiting  fellow  at  both  the  Consortium  for  Energy  Policy  Research  at  Harvard  and  the Harvard Electricity Policy Group (HEPG).