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Finance Ministry officials to 'Post': Moody's rating drop was premature, a step too far

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Finance Ministry officials to 'Post': Moody's rating drop was premature, a step too far

Ratings agency Moody’s “went one or two steps too far” and were “very conservative” in their downgrade of Israel’s rating late last month, senior officials within the Finance Ministry’s Accountant General Department told The Jerusalem Post.

“We respect Moody’s, and the government should listen carefully and address the relevant comments. However, our professional stance is that, at the very least, Moody’s has taken [it] one notch too far at this time,” they said.

The downgrade dropped Israel by two notches, from A2 to Baa1—the country’s lowest score ever—and maintained a negative outlook for its rating.

“A major part of what the credit rating should represent is […] the ability of the country to repay its foreign currency debt,” the officials explained, adding that Israel’s “ability to repay foreign currency is very strong.”

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Israel has had a surplus of more than 5% in the current account for 20 years, the officials said, adding that this is “fairly structural,” as the country exports more than it imports typically.

A Moody’s sign on the 7 World Trade Center tower is photographed in New York August 2, 2011. (credit: REUTERS/MIKE SEGAR)

They added that the Bank of Israel also holds “the highest ever reserve of foreign currency,” which is nearly four times as high as the external debt, showing Israel’s strong ability to repay foreign debt.

The officials said that senior economists believe that, in some sense, Moody’s treated a “worst-case scenario” as the “main-case scenario.”

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This means that they made the assumption that “the country’s economic recovery will be very long and that the debt-to-GDP ratio will grow substantially.”

Officials believe scenario is ‘exaggerated’

While this scenario is legitimate, “we think it is exaggerated,” the officials told The Jerusalem Post, adding that they think it is premature to make the assumptions made in Moody’s base case.

“As long as there is a good and responsible budget here that is aimed at growth, and the security situation improves, we can expect a more rapid rebound in the economy.”


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Tel Aviv University Prof. Dan Ben-David, who heads the socioeconomic research center Shoresh Institution, highlighted the uncertainty surrounding Israel’s economy despite the confidence projected by Finance Ministry officials.

“Just a glance at last week’s major revision by [Israel’s] Central Bureau of Statistics – its third downward revision of GDP – gives a pretty good idea about how little we actually know with regard to the actual severity of the situation, which is continuously being revised downward,” he said.

“We are in mid-October, and the government is only now beginning to contemplate the budget for next year while our finance minister is MIA. Given his comments and areas of focus, that is probably for the better, as incredulous as that might seem given the gravity of the moment we are in.”

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Earlier this month, Bank of Israel Governor Professor Amir Yaron highlighted the importance Moody’s rating, which could impact Israel regardless of whether or not it was premature or exaggerated.

“It is important to pay attention and take the assessments of the rating agencies seriously, as they reflect the challenges and risks faced by the Israeli economy as the world sees it,” Yaron explained.



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Finance

Plano-Based Finance of America Announces $2.5B Partnership with Funds Managed by Blue Owl to Expand FOA’s Home Equity Lending

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Plano-Based Finance of America Announces .5B Partnership with Funds Managed by Blue Owl to Expand FOA’s Home Equity Lending

Finance of America Companies, a leading provider of home equity-based financing solutions for a modern retirement, and funds managed by Blue Owl Capital, a leading alternative asset manager, announced an enhanced $2.5 billion strategic partnership to accelerate product innovation and distribution for the nation’s fast-growing retirement demographic.

With more than 10,000 Americans entering retirement age every day, the market for home equity access continues to expand. FOA said its collaboration with New York City-based Blue Owl positions it to capture significant share in this rapidly evolving sector.

“This is a pivotal moment not just for Finance of America, but for the senior finance market as a whole,” Graham Fleming, CEO of Finance of America, said in a statement. “By aligning with Blue Owl, we are creating a platform of scale and innovation to better serve one of the fastest-growing demographics in the United States.”

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The enhanced partnership includes, per FOA:

  • $2.5 billion commitment for new product innovation, providing scale and liquidity to support origination growth across multiple asset classes
  • $50 million equity investment in Finance of America, enhancing long-term alignment between the companies and supporting FOA’s continued growth initiatives
  • Joint innovation and product-development initiative focused on the continuous rollout of new, differentiated financial products tailored for people looking to maximize freedom, security, and opportunity throughout their retirement
 

This product expansion will complement FOA’s existing industry-leading reverse mortgage product suite while strengthening the company’s commitment to innovation and its role as a leader in delivering powerful financial solutions for retirees.

FOA said it continues to empower retirees with responsible, flexible access to capital to support aging in place, healthcare expenses, and lifestyle goals.

The partnership reinforces Finance of America’s mission to provide comprehensive, retirement-focused financial solutions, with the goal of expanding beyond reverse mortgages to become the nation’s leading, full-spectrum home equity lending platform, the company said.

“We believe Finance of America is uniquely positioned to redefine how financial products are delivered to retirees,” said David Aidi, senior managing director and co-head of Asset Based Finance at Blue Owl.

“This partnership provides the capital, the strategic alignment, and the innovation engine to build category-defining products at scale,” added Ray Chan, senior managing director and co-head of Asset Based Finance at Blue Owl.

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R E A D   N E X T

  • Little Elm’s Sachchit Balamurugan, an incoming senior at TOPS, flew to Japan Friday to present his ACC cancer detection app at the International Young Researchers’ Conference. He’s also won first place at a BPA national mobile app competition, won an award at the NASA Space App Challenge, started a nonprofit called Youth Opportunities in Tech Innovation—and done lots, lots more.

  • A slide showing Tremedics' award-winning technology for treating narrowed aortas in children (left). Their special dissolving stent (right) opens blocked blood vessels and then disappears as the child grows, eliminating the need for repeated surgeries and potentially helping thousands of the 40,000 U.S. babies born with heart defects annually. [Image source: Tremedics]

    Tre Welch, Tremedics Medical Devices Inc., Leon Jacobson, Ted Price, Nerveli Inc., Sarah Iselin, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, TechFW, MassChallenge, ClearLeaf, Feathery, Algas Organics, Coastal Protection Solutions

  • “We closed the first volume of our story—25 years in the making.” That’s how CEO Tom Spackman described Gigabit Fiber’s majority stake sale to Blue Owl, marking a new phase of growth as AI and cloud drive demand for hyperscale connectivity.

  • Topgolf said the limited-time experience is available at all Topgolf U.S. venues Feb. 1 through April 13. It’s accompanied by a national in-venue sweepstakes and limited-time menu items.

  • The bank’s Support Services team fills a critical role in BOA—acting as an in-house consulting firm for every line of business.

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Bérangère Michel announced as BBC Group Chief Financial Officer

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Bérangère Michel announced as BBC Group Chief Financial Officer

The BBC has announced that Bérangère Michel has been appointed to the role of Group Chief Financial Officer.

Bérangère brings extensive experience from her 16-year career at the John Lewis Partnership, where she held senior roles including Chief Financial Officer, Customer Service Executive Director, Operations Director and Finance & Strategy Director.

Prior to joining the John Lewis Partnership, Bérangère spent 11 years at the Royal Mail Group in a number of finance, change and strategy roles, including as Finance Director of the property division.

In an expanded role as BBC Group Chief Financial Officer, Bérangère will be responsible for the overall BBC Group financial strategy, with a remit across BBC Public Service, BBC Studios and the BBC’s commercial subsidiaries. She will play a leadership role and will sit on both the Executive Committee and, for the first time, the Board.

This position will strengthen the BBC’s financial leadership, support its transformation, and make the best use of the licence fee and commercial opportunities. Bérangère will report to the Director-General and will take up the role in early January.

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Director-General Tim Davie says: “Bérangère brings a wealth of experience from her time at the John Lewis Partnership and will play a critical role in shaping our new financial strategy. I’m pleased to welcome her to the BBC, and to both the Executive Committee and Board.

“Bérangère’s appointment to this expanded role comes at an important time for the BBC, as we look ahead to Charter renewal and continue to accelerate our transformation to deliver outstanding value for our audiences.”

BBC Chair Samir Shah says: “The role of Group Chief Financial Officer will be hugely important as we build a BBC for the future, and I look forward to welcoming Bérangère to the Board.”

Bérangère Michel says: “I am delighted to be joining the BBC, an institution whose purpose and mission I have always admired. It’s a privilege to be part of shaping its exciting future at such a crucial moment and I cannot wait to get started.”

BBC Press Office

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ATI Promotes Longtime Leader to CFO and SVP of Finance

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ATI Promotes Longtime Leader to CFO and SVP of Finance

ATI Inc., a Dallas-based manufacturer of high-performance materials for the aerospace and defense industries, announced that James Robert “Rob” Foster will be promoted to senior vice president of finance and chief financial officer, effective January 1, 2026.

Foster succeeds Don Newman, who will serve as strategic advisor to the CEO beginning January 1. As previously announced, Newman will retire on March 1, 2026, and serve in an advisory capacity in that time to allow for a smooth transition.

“Rob is a proven P&L leader with enterprise-wide experience in the areas that matter most to ATI’s continued growth,” Kim Fields, president and CEO, said in a statement. “He brings deep expertise not only in finance but also as an operational leader. Rob played a pivotal role in the successful Specialty Rolled Products transformation, consistently helping ATI to deliver strong returns and shareholder value. I look forward to partnering with him as we enter our next phase of profitable growth.”

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Foster, a longtime ATI leader, brings both operational expertise and financial discipline to the CFO role, the company said. He most recently served as president of ATI’s specialty alloys & components business, where he improved efficiency, grew capacity, and advanced the company’s role as a global leader in exotic alloys. Foster previously served as vice president of Finance, Supply Chain, and Capital Projects, overseeing ATI’s global finance organization, capital deployment processes, and enterprise supply chain performance. Earlier in his career, he led Finance for both ATI operating segments and the Forged Products business.

“I’m honored to become ATI’s next CFO,” said Foster. “ATI is well-positioned with a strong balance sheet, focused strategy, and significant opportunities ahead. I look forward to working with our team to drive disciplined investment, operational excellence, and long-term value creation for our shareholders.”

Newman added, “Rob is an exceptional leader who understands ATI’s strategy, operations, and financial drivers. He has delivered transformative results across the organization. I look forward to supporting a seamless transition as we pursue this next step in our succession planning.”

Before joining ATI in 2012, Foster held senior finance roles at API Technologies Corp. and Spectrum Control Inc., where he led ERP implementations, acquisition integrations, and internal control enhancements. He began his career as an auditor at Ernst & Young (EY).

ATI produces high-performance materials and solutions for the global aerospace and defense markets, and critical applications in electronics, medical, and specialty energy. 

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R E A D   N E X T

  • The company said Keith Schroeder brings more than 40 years of experience in accounting, corporate control and reporting, finance, operations, and CEO and CFO strategic roles.

  • James Cook announced his retirement after 24 years of service and will officially retire on June 30. James Gilligan will take his new post, effective June 16.

  • Anthony DiSilvestro joins KDP at a pivotal moment as it moves to close its $18 billion acquisition of Netherlands-based JDE Peet’s. His “significant” M&A experience will advance the combined company’s integration and its ultimate split into two “winning companies,” CEO Tim Cofer said.

  • Donna Guy brings more than 25 years of experience in financial leadership across public and private companies to her new position. 

  • Last week, Irving-based Caterpillar marked its 100th anniversary year with celebrations throughout the U.S. commemorating “a monumental moment” in the company’s history. The company officially turns 100 on April 15, marking a century of “customer-centric innovation and industry-leading transformation”

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