Yossi Cohen

Former Director of the Mossad and Head of SoftBank Investment Advisers, Israel, Aya Technologies

Mr. Yossi CohenFormer Director of the Mossad and Head of SoftBank Investment Advisers in Israel. Yossi Cohen served as the Director of the Mossad, Israel's national intelligence agency, from 2016 until 2021. As Director of the Mossad, Cohen personally orchestrated one of the agency's most daring operations with the seizure of the Iran’s secret nuclear archive. Among other historic achievements, Cohen led the negotiations between Israel and the UAE and Bahrain in what led to the Abraham Accords and the normalization of relations between the countries. He also helped establish the National Emergency Command Center in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and led the operations to bring vital medical equipment and supplies to Israel throughout the crisis.Upon drafting to the Israel Defense Forces, Cohen volunteered to join the paratroopers as part of the Airborne Nahal Brigade and served in the First Lebanon War. Cohen joined the Mossad in 1983 and served in several high-ranking positions, including head of the Mossad's operations in Europe, head of the “Tzomet” division, which is responsible for the operation of the agency’s field officers, and as Deputy Director, before being appointed Director of the Mossad in 2016. Prior to his appointment as the Director of the Mossad, in 2013, Cohen was handpicked by then Prime Minister of Israel to serve as Israel’s National Security Advisor and Head of the National Security Council. Cohen is now the head of SoftBank Investment Advisers in Israel.Cohen was born to a religious family in Jerusalem. He and his wife Aya are blessed with four children and eight grandchildren.