The Portland Trust

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The Portland Trust was established  to promote peace and stability between Israelis and Palestinians through economic development. It works with a range of partners to help develop the Palestinian private sector and relieve poverty through entrepreneurship in Israel. It facilitates sustainable economic development through catalysing initiatives to build quality employment and thriving private sectors. Their work advances the growth of strong societies in Israel and Palestine based on socio-economic mobility and inclusion for minorities and marginalised groups. (“Who We Are – Portland Trust”)

The Portland Trust was founded in London in 2003 by Sir Ronald Cohen, co-founder and former chairman of the private equity firm Apax Partners, pioneering philanthropist, venture capitalist, and private equity investor, and chair of the Social Impact Investment Taskforce established under the UK's presidency of the G8, together with Sir Harry Solomon, co-founder and former chairman and CEO of Hillsdown Holdings (“Board of Trustees”).

The other trustees are Mick Davis, Chairman of MacSteel, a global trading and shipping company and an investor, director and advisor to other companies in the resource, technology and financial services sectors, and Nicola Cobbold, who has spent the past 14 years in the not-for-profit sector, with a particular focus on improving outcomes through sustainable economic development and social impact investment. She was also Chief Executive of The Portland Trust itself for eight years, as well as being a director on the European board at Mercy Corps. Also trustees are Jonny Harel-Cohen, of Dynamic Loop Capital, Gila Sacks of the UK Department of Health and Social Care, and Steven Kaye of Baystone Associates Ltd (“Board of Trustees”). Former Trustees include Lord Freud, former Minister for Welfare Reform in the British Government and former Vice Chairman of UBS Investment Banking and Sir Martin Gilbert, who was a British historian and honorary Fellow of Merton College, Oxford

In June 2005, The Portland Trust opened an office in Tel-Aviv. The managing director is Rami Schwartz. In April 2006, an office was opened in Ramallah under the direction of Samir Hulileh, who remains the Ramallah Chair. Baron Frankal has been the Chief Executive since September 2021 (“Executive Team – Portland Trust”).