“When the Americans see someone like Steve Jobs or Mark Zuckerberg, who made billions thanks to their talent and determination, the first thing they say to themselves is, 'I want to be like him.' This, in many ways, is the engine that drives Western society: The desire to make it like the winners.”

Israeli politician and former journalist, born 1963

Yair Lapid is an Israeli politician and former journalist. Born in 1963, he has led the centrist Yesh Atid party since its founding in 2012. He has also served as Israel’s prime minister and held several senior cabinet posts. Lapid has been Leader of the Opposition since January 2023, a role he also held from 2020 to 2021. His government service includes time as Minister of Finance under Benjamin Netanyahu and as foreign minister, and his public profile is shaped by both journalism and politics.