Major downsizing at NDS

NDS Israel has laid off an estimated 50 employees, many of them long-time supervisors at the Rupert Murdoch's R&D center in Jerusalem. Word has it that the drastic cutbacks were demanded by CEO Abe Peled, who felt that a great deal of fat could be trimmed by eliminating a sizeable chunk of the company's veteran management-level personnel.

Dropping like flies

Yet another senior (Israeli) SAP executive (and former TopTier member) is leaving SAP. This time it is Aliza Peleg, SAP Labs Manager in the U.S.

Overpriced, Overpayed, Overvalued

A European citizen has paid a whopping $25,000/sq. meter for a total of USD $9,000,000 to own an apartment in the Jerusalem ghost town of Mamilla.

The Mamilla project is currently being expanded by another 38 apartments due to the demand by American and European holiday visitors for a home in that neighborhood.

The Mamilla complex is generally empty for most of the year as home owners only vist for a week or two during the various holiday seasons - when they don't stay at a hotel instead.

Asking/Selling prices in the existing Mamilla complex are known to have reached only as high as USD $10,000/sq. meter (though rumor has it one homeowner is asking as high as $15,000).

Talk about being taken.

Flowing in California

Given Imaging is really going with the flow.

California Medicare has approved the Pillcam SB for diagnosing Crohn's and other diseases.

Bank HaPoalim lowers rating on Africa-Israel

Bank HaPoalim has lowered their rating on Africa-Israel.

It should be noted that Leviev purchased Africa-Israel from Bank Leumi in the 90s, and Bank Leumi purchased (via option) 5% of Africa-Israel Investments in 2006.

Following the Lead

Udi Ziv, Shai Agassi's (former) associate at SAP (and cofounder with Agassi of TopTier - purchased by SAP) will be following Agassi's lead and will also be leaving SAP.

Following the Lead

Udi Ziv, Shai Agassi's (former) associate at SAP (and cofounder with Agassi of TopTier - purchased by SAP) will be following Agassi's lead and will also be leaving SAP.

Cancel the Gym Membership

Ultrashape just received approval to sell their fat melting system in Canada. They are waiting for US FDA approval so they can go to an IPO in the US.

I guess really you can cancel your gym membership and just watch those extra pounds melt away.

One Night in Bangkok

Africa-Israel is buying a Bangkok residential high-rise (nearing completion) for some $50 million dollars.

Here's a first

Malam is installing Microsoft's CRM package (Microsoft Dynamics) in Comverse. We're sure that (using MS DSynamics) has to be a first for Israel.

A Groisa Metzia

Lev Leviav, mentioned earlier this week after his purchase of the New York Times building, just completed a $1.4 Billion dollar IPO making his company Africa-Israel the 5th largest real estate firm in Europe.

The company is now valued at $7.3 Billion dollars.

It was also the largest ever IPO by an Israeli company.

Leviev initially purchased Africa-Israel for just somewhere in the range of $250-$500 million.

How NICE for the FAA

The FAA has just closed an IDIQ based contract with NICS systems (7 years, $69 Million). The FAA has applied so far 2.7 million.

Say "Yes"

Yes has selected BMC to be it's new monitoring system which will be installed by Matrix. Interesting choice. Definitely a nice coup for Avner Mimon of Matrix (a name to watch for in the future).

Count this

Nielsen will be completing its acquisition of BuzzMetrics by the end of May for an estimated $100 Million.

Retalix on the final stretch

Back in March we mentioned the rumors that Retalix may be sold, and some other big deals they were doing.

Retalix's rival Radiant Systems is considering the buy (for over $500 million), but remember, this isn't the first time that Retalix has been in talks that fell through.

Perhaps this time they'll cross the finish line.

Radware's Warchest

Radware just purchased Covelight Systems for $16 million. Radware has a warchest of $163 million in cash for their acquisition plans to strengthen its position in the enterprise market.

It runs in the family

Reuters Group has purchased Israeli startup ClearForest for $30 million. ClearForest developed text analysis software. The company's founder and CTO is Dr Yonatan Aumann, son of Nobel prize winner Prof. Israel Aumann

All the News...

Lev Leviav's Africa-Israel just purchased the New York Times Building for $525 million. This July, the New York Times will be evacuating that building and moving to the New New York Times Building.

Moving Out

Going to the IT trade shows, one usually sees an Ultra-Orthodox gentleman incongruously being heavily courted by the IT elites.

That was Atzmon Mins who, after 6 years, just stepped as CTO of Amidar.

Before Amidar, Mins was VP Technology at DHL, and before that a manager at Visa and Amdocs.

Amidar is a government company that supplies low-income housing.

Smooth as a baby's bottom...

Alma Laser just won FDA approval for their laser anti-wrinkle treatment. Alma Lasers have been in a number of lawsuits and countersuits with their competitors over the last year. Some were won, and some were settled and resulted in licensing agreements.