Isaac Assa Farca (Tel Aviv, March 12, 1964) is a Mexican-Israeli entrepreneur who has worked in the textile, real estate, and cybersecurity sectors, as well as a consultant for companies and governments.[1][2][3]
Isaac Assa | |
|---|---|
| Born | 12 March 1964 |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, consultant, philanthropist |
| Known for |
|
| Spouse |
Alicia Cojab (m. 1986) |
| Children | 5 |
| Relatives | Benjamin Assa Duek (father) |
He is the founder and president of ILAN Israel Latin American Network, an NGO that promotes innovation linked to Israel.[4][5][6]
Biography
editAssa was born in Tel Aviv, Israel, but his family moved to Mexico before he turned one year old. His father was Benjamín Assa Duek, originally from Damascus, Syria, a tailor by trade and a soldier during the Israeli War of Independence.[7][8]
Benjamín settled in Mexico in 1957. He later married Rebeca Farca Romano, Isaac's mother. Isaac grew up in Tecamachalco, State of Mexico.[9][10] Isaac completed his primary and secondary education at the Colegio Hebreo Monte Sinaí.[11] [12]
Grupo Assa originated in 1963 when Benjamín Assa partnered with the Kalach and Warshow families to create Zentrix, the first textile company to introduce spandex in Mexico. In 1978, they acquired facilities in Atizapán de Zaragoza, incorporating warping, dyeing, and finishing processes into production.[13] At the age of 15, in 1979, Isaac began working at the group's new plant in Atizapán de Zaragoza, where he learned the company's operations from production to management. He was appointed plant director in 1984. He complemented his experience with studies at the Instituto Panamericano de Alta Dirección de Empresa.[11]
In 1984, the Group acquired the company Lartel, integrating the processes of manufacturing and exporting intimate apparel for brands such as Berlei, Playtex, Piorette, Olga, and Bally, among others.[13][14]
In 1995, Assa moved to New York to establish the group's offices in the United States, which represents 90% of Zentrix's market, as a supplier to sportswear brands like Nike, Under Armour, and Lululemon.[11][15]
Since 2010, he has been a member of the Peres Center for Peace and Innovation, serving as Mexico's representative on the international board.[16][17]
Assa diversified his activities by founding several companies. In 2014, he established Akza, a business intelligence consultancy;[18] in 2019, Axterra, focused on real estate[19] and in 2020, ICE, dedicated to cybersecurity.[20][11]
In 2018, he stepped down from executive positions in his companies to focus entirely on philanthropy, serving as the founder and president of ILAN.[21][22][23][24][25]
Assa was one of the driving forces behind “Sowing Life”, a flagship program of the Mexican government during the presidency of Andrés Manuel López Obrador.[26] This program involved the planting of timber and fruit trees on more than one million hectares of national territory, with the participation of over 630,000 farmers.[27][28]
In 2023, Isaac Assa donated an extensive mural, created by visual artist Julio Carrasco Bretón, which is located in the migration area of Ben Gurion Airport.[29][30]
On July 20, 2024, Assa presented an ILAN award for political innovation to Argentine President Javier Milei.[31][32]
References
edit- ^ Klein, Svika (17 June 2022). "Israel Latin America Network (ILAN) expands to US, Costa Rica, Chile, Guatemala and other countries". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 2024-11-04.
- ^ "ILAN Founder Issac Assa on Strengthening Israel-Latin America Ties". B'nai B'rith. 18 August 2022. Retrieved 2024-11-04.
- ^ Winocur, Pablo (18 August 2022). "The Mexican-Israeli philanthropist promoting innovation who will award Javier Milei this Sunday". A24 (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-11-04.
- ^ Chaves, Facundo (22 July 2024). "With Milei and special guests, the ILAN Foundation was launched in Argentina, promoting innovation through ties with Israel". Infobae (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-11-04.
- ^ "Israel Latin America Network expands to US, Central America". Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. Retrieved 2024-11-04.
- ^ Klein Leichman, Abigail (13 June 2022). "Israel Latin America Network expands to US, Central America". ISRAEL21c. Retrieved 2024-11-04.
- ^ Woolfson, Marion (1980). Prophets in Babylon: Jews in the Arab world. London: Faber and Faber. ISBN 9780571114580.
- ^ "Synopsis". benjaminassa.com. Retrieved 2024-11-04.
- ^ ""It is more important to have a compass than a clock": the life of Benjamín Assa is depicted in a mural". Enlace Judío (in Spanish). 13 October 2021. Retrieved 2024-11-04.
- ^ Jerozolimski, Ana (20 February 2023). "With Mexican entrepreneur Isaac Assa, reflecting on the past and the commitment to a better future". Semanario Hebreo JAI (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-11-04.
- ^ a b c d González Gava, Marcos (6 September 2024). "Isaac Assa from the ILAN Foundation: "Argentina has a very bright future ahead."". Reporte Asia (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-11-04.
- ^ "Inauguration of the mural on the soccer fields". Colegio Hebreo Monte Sinaí (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-11-04.
- ^ a b "History". Grupo Industrial Assa (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-11-04.
- ^ Hirsch, James. "A Spandex Shortage And Industrial Intrigue". The New York Times. Retrieved 2024-11-04.
- ^ "Assatex". Assatex. Retrieved 2024-11-04.
- ^ "Impact Report 2019" (PDF). Peres Center. Retrieved 2024-11-04.
- ^ "International Board of Governors". Peres Center. Retrieved 2024-11-04.
- ^ "About us". Akza. Retrieved 2024-11-04.
- ^ "Assa Properties Reaches Settlement with City for Tenants' Alleged Airbnb Activity". Business Wire. Retrieved 2024-11-04.
- ^ "About us". ICE (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-11-04.
- ^ "Israel Latin America Network (ILAN) expands to US, Costa Rica, Chile, Guatemala and other countries". The Jerusalem Post. 17 June 2022. Retrieved 2024-11-04.
- ^ "Israel, Argentina, sign innovative software agreement". Israel National News. Retrieved 2024-11-04.
- ^ "Israel Latin America Network expands". Israel Hayom. Retrieved 2024-11-04.
- ^ "ILAN Mexico Founder Meets with Israeli Prime Minister to Continue Building Bilateral Ties and Support". Cision. Retrieved 2024-11-04.
- ^ Mafud, Laura. "Isaac Assa Farca from the ILAN Foundation: "Argentina has everything it needs to become an innovative country"". Forbes (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-11-04.
- ^ Hogewoning, Jan (11 April 2020). "Israeli Technology for Sembrando Vida". Mexico Business. Retrieved 2024-11-04.
- ^ "Presentation of the Sowing Life program expands opportunities for collaboration with the United States". Government of Mexico. Retrieved 2024-11-04.
- ^ "Sembrando Vida: Mexico's agriculture scheme pitched as migration solution". Dialogue Earth. 19 July 2022. Retrieved 2024-11-04.
- ^ "Giant mural at Ben-Gurion Airport tells the story of the Jewish people". Jews News Syndicate. Retrieved 2024-11-04.
- ^ Kempinski, Yoni. "ILAN founder describes '4,000-year-old family album' in Ben Gurion Airport". Israel National News. Retrieved 2024-11-04.
- ^ "Argentinian President Javier Milei receives ILAN's first Innovation in Politics Award". The Jerusalem Post. 23 July 2024. Retrieved 2024-11-04.
- ^ "Words from the President of the Nation, Javier Milei, after receiving the Political Innovation Award, presented by the Ilan Foundation". Casa Rosada (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-11-04.