Shmuel Harlap
Israeli businessman (1944–2026)
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Shmuel Harlap (Hebrew: שמואל חרל"פ; 13 November 1944 – 19 August 2026) was an Israeli businessman, who was the chairman of the Colmobil Group (קבוצת כלמוביל), and an investor in startup companies. He held a Doctor of Philosophy degree from Harvard University.
Shmuel Harlap | |
|---|---|
| שמואל חרל"פ | |
| |
| Born | 13 November 1944 |
| Died | 19 August 2026 (aged 81) |
| Education | Hebrew University of Jerusalem (1971), Harvard University (1975) |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Known for | Chairman of the car importing company Colmobil Group |
Early life and education
Harlap was born on 13 November 1944, and raised in Rehovot and Haifa.[1] In the early 1960s, his father Amichai obtained a license to import Mercedes-Benz cars and started the car importer Colmobil.[1][2] Harlap did his military service in the Golani Brigade[1] and served in the Six Day War.[2]
Career
After completing a doctorate in philosophy at Harvard University, specializing in Platonic philosophy, he served as a lecturer in political science at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.[1]
In 1982, he was appointed chairman of Colmobil. The company began importing the Japanese car brand Mitsubishi in 1988 and Hyundai vehicles in 1994. Colmobil eventually secured about 20% of the Israeli car market.[1]
This success contributed to Harlap’s substantial personal wealth; in TheMarker magazine’s 2016 ranking of Israel’s richest people, he was placed 21st, with an estimated fortune of approximately US$1.5 billion.[3] Harlap invested in startup companies;[2] in 2017, his wealth doubled after Intel purchased Mobileye, for which he owned around 7% of the shares.[1][2]
Publications
Harlap published an op-ed on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in Haaretz in 2017.[4]
In 2018, Harlap joined other Israeli businessmen in condemning the Israeli government's plan to deport 40,000 African asylum-seekers.[5][6]
Following the attacks of 7 October 2023, the Harlap family donated 120 Mitsubishi Space Star cars to the kibbutzim Nir Oz, Nahal Oz, Be'eri, and Kfar Aza.[7]
Death
Harlap died on 19 August 2026, at the age of 81.[8]