At the height of the covid pandemic last July, Yoav Haimi packed his suitcase and boarded a plane to Hong Kong, where he would be starting his new job: Head of the Economic and Trade Mission at the Consulate General of Israel in Hong Kong. Today, Yoav is thriving in his new position despite all of the cards having been stacked against him.
The dream job found by fate
Throughout most of his childhood and young adulthood, Yoav lived and worked in Jerusalem. He experienced his first taste of venturing out of Jerusalem by participating in the Student Exchange program toward the end of his Bachelor’s Degree, where he was exposed to the possibility of working abroad, specifically in Asia.
Yoav shares, “Over the course of my degree, I studied in Singapore for a semester through the Student Exchange program. It was an enriching experience, and allowed me to meet and connect with students from all over the world.”
Yoav explains that early on in his studies, he knew that he wanted to work in economics. As a student, Yoav began to work in the Finance Ministry Pension Department. He reflects, “The position added practical experience to my studies. I was able to meet new people, and connect with government officials. Being in close proximity to the government offices is one of the great advantages of attending Hebrew University.”
Immediately after finishing his Bachelor’s degree, Yoav began his MBA as part of the Alpha Excellence program, where he specialized in Strategic and Entrepreneurial Finance. After a few years of public sector experience in government agencies and as a health economist at Hadassah Hospital, Yoav left Jerusalem to begin working in Tel Aviv. In Tel Aviv, he worked at Deloitte as a senior consultant to various companies in the Israeli market. He describes his experience at Deloitte as a “learning experience in itself”, and afterward began to look for new directions and opportunities in the private sector.
Yoav heard about his current job by chance from a friend who was talking about the new Industry and Trade Ministry Economic and Trade Mission program. Not without concern and hesitation, Yoav looked into the job and realized that the position would be perfect for him.
“On the one hand, you’re working in the public sector as a civil servant, but on the other hand, it involves business. I see it as the business department within the public sector.”
After an extensive application process, Yoav began a training course run by the Industry and Trade Ministry. It was an intensive three-month course where the participants were required to dorm at the ministry’s teaching facility. Yoav shares, “There aren’t many situations after you finish your degree where you suddenly stop your life for three months. It was something special.” Over those three months, Yoav took courses on diplomacy, trade, and the requirements of the job.
After completing the course, Yoav began working at the Industry and Trade Ministry’s Foreign Trade Commission. He was serving as the head of the Europe Department, but his dream was to work as the Commercial Consul of Hong Kong, the capital of Asian business. “Something was pulling me to work in Asia; I saw my future there. I believe there to be endless opportunities in Asia, both personally and professionally.”
Unprecedented Times
Yoav arduously prepared and packed for his four-year mission, and set off for Hong Kong despite all of the pandemic restrictions. He shares, “I remember the flight as a very unique experience. I stood there alone in the airport with no sign of life; it was really a ghost town. My family took me to the airport to say goodbye, but they weren’t even allowed to enter the airport with me.”
Upon landing, Yoav began the newest chapter of his life as the Head of the Israeli Economic and Trade Mission to Hong Kong. Working out of his office in China, Yoav leads a team of three employees whose main job is to promote the Israeli economy: “Our goal is to introduce Israeli Industry to the endless potential that exists in Hong Kong, and to create business connections. This is what we do on a daily basis. We identify the strengths of Israel, and the needs of Hong Kong, and make the best possible connections.”
The importance of Yoav’s position has only grown during the pandemic. The Israeli delegation believes in the significance of the Israeli-Asia relationship, especially in a time where there are travel limitations on various companies. The importance of the staff is reflected in the creation of opportunities for the Israeli market. Many Israeli companies choose the “safer” route and expand their business to the United States. Yoav and his staff are helping companies develop a new perspective, and delve further into the opportunities that China and Asia as a whole have to offer.
Welcome to Hong Kong
Yoav shares that living in Hong Kong is easier than you would think. “It is really easy to get around. The public transportation is amazing, to the extent that you can travel from the city with a dense population and huge skyscrapers, and within twenty minutes reach the green pastures and beaches.”
Regarding the language barrier, Yoav laughs and is quick to point out that unlike mainland China, where the spoken language is Mandarin, in Hong Kong the spoken language is Cantonese. He shares, “I still haven’t learned the language, but I’m working on it. Unlike in the rest of China, in Hong Kong nearly everyone speaks English, so it’s very easy to get along without speaking the native language.” Yoav adds that Hong Kong is very Western, and there is a large community of foreign nationals.
Despite his successes, his time in Hong Kong did not begin as Yoav had hoped. During normal times, his job is primarily done through creating personal connections, and becoming an information source for cutting-edge Israeli technologies, something that is almost impossible to do now. Yoav shares that the people of Hong Kong are strict in following the rules of social distancing, but in spite of the challenges, “life continues to move forward.”
Yoav believes that his job has been a golden opportunity. The combination of the business and government sectors is the first of its kind, and can appeal not only to those with backgrounds in economics, but also to those from a diverse range of disciplines. Yoav challenges everyone to leave their comfort zone and not be afraid, especially in uncertain times such as these, to take a risk and begin their new adventure.