Yael Andorn. Feminine outlook?
Women taking control of Treasury
Lapid's decision to appoint Yael Andorn as Finance Ministry director-general puts second woman at top of Finance Ministry. Will we soon see a female Bank of Israel governor?
"Appointing a woman as the Finance Ministry director-general would be another original move and a breath of fresh air on the part of Minister Lapid," I wrote on Friday in Yedioth Ahronoth's Mamon magazine. That evening it was reported that Lapid had indeed decided to appoint a woman for the job: Yael Andorn. I can't help but congratulate him over his choice – an excellent one.
Andorn told me in that interview how she managed, as CEO of Amitim, to get the old pension funds through the financial crisis: "As opposed to the American pension funds, we were super cautious. We didn't engage in any speculations, just bought government bonds when they were cheap and weathered the storm very well."
In an interview with Andorn two years ago, I expressed my appreciation for her: "Those looking for a model of a successful revolution in the public service need not go far in their search: Amitim (the Senior Pension Funds of Israel), run by Andorn – a young, assertive and charismatic woman – is the model."
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At the time, I allowed myself to recommend that Finance Minister Steinitz appoint her as accountant general. Steinitz accepted half of the recommendation, appointing a woman – Michal Abadi-Boiangiu – for the position. And so now we will see two women at the top of the Finance Ministry – an unprecedented phenomenon in Israel.
Will Andorn and Abadi-Boiangiu's Treasury be softer than what we have seen so far? Don't count on it. They both share hawkish fiscal stances. They are in favor of the smallest deficit possible and of significant cuts in public in order to maintain "budgetary sanity."
Andorn, let us not forget, worked at the Finance Ministry's Budget Department in the golden era of Netanyahu's revolution and supported his ideas. She pushed for the implementation of the Wisconsin Plan in the labor market and was in favor of reducing the eligibility for unemployment benefits in order to expand the employment rate. Her opinions had softened since then, but have not changed.
And yet, a feminine outlook will create changes in the Treasury's management. It's safe to assume that the personal power struggles will grow weaker, and that the patronizing tone – characteristic of the young ministry workers – will be diminished.
Greater attention will be dedicated to contacts with the public and its representatives. At the conference table we won't just hear men with over self-confidence. Proposals for budget cuts will be examined from less conventional perspectives. The general direction of the budgetary policy will not change, but the sharpness of the angles will.
(Too) many people are presenting themselves (or are presented by the media) as "advisors" or "associates" of Lapid. He isn't rushing to confirm or deny; why should he? It's good to listen to many people, in order to choose the few that match.
Lapid will soon be required to recommend a new Bank of Israel governor. There are important men of many achievements and rights who can be seen as candidates for this high-ranking position, but perhaps – alongside the Treasury's female director-general and accountant-general, we should get used to a woman as the Bank of Israel governor?
