Early Life
Shmuel Harlap was born in 1945 and raised in Rehovot and Haifa, Israel. His father, Amichai, obtained a license to import Mercedes-Benz cars in the early 1960s, which led to the founding of Colmobil. Harlap served in the Golani Brigade during his military service and participated in the Six-Day War.
Rise to Success
After completing his doctorate in philosophy at Harvard University, where he specialized in Platonic philosophy, Harlap served as a lecturer in political science at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. In 1982, he became the chairman of Colmobil. Under his leadership, Colmobil expanded by importing Japanese car brand Mitsubishi in 1988 and Hyundai vehicles in 1994, securing approximately 20% of the Israeli car market. Harlap's wealth significantly increased following Intel's acquisition of Mobileye, in which he had a 7.2% stake.
Key Business Strategies
Harlap's success stems from his strategic investments and leadership at Colmobil. He made an early investment in the automotive tech startup Mobileye in 2001 with an initial investment of $10,000, later acquiring a 7.2% stake. This investment proved highly profitable when Intel acquired Mobileye for $15.3 billion in 2017. Colmobil's growth, with the import of various automotive brands, further solidified his position in the industry.
Philanthropy
Shmuel Harlap is also known for his philanthropy. Together with his wife Anat, they have donated $180 million to Rabin Medical Center in Israel, the largest single gift to an Israeli hospital. The donation will fund the construction of the "Hope Tower," a new cardiological and neurological center. Following the October 7th attacks, the Harlaps also donated 120 cars to the kibbutzim that were impacted.