Sylvan Adams is a Canadian-Israeli businessman and philanthropist who, since moving to Israel, has devoted himself to serving his country as the self-appointed “Ambassador-at-large for the state of Israel.”

Sylvan aims to show the world what he calls “normal Israel”, tackling its often-negative portrayal in the media by revealing the beautifulreality of the country to large audiences around the world. He has promoted this “normal Israel” by bringing world-class cultural and sporting events to the country.

Among his notable achievements, Adams famously brought Lionel Messi and the Argentinian national soccer team for a friendly game in Tel Aviv, Madonna to the Eurovision Song Contest and the French Super Cup to Tel Aviv. Sylvan was also responsible for organizing and hosting the largest sporting event in the country’s history: the “Grande Partenza” (“big start”) of the Giro d’Italia. These events brought Israel into the homes of billions of television viewers around the world.

Sylvan is the owner of Team Israel – Premier Tech (IPT), a UCI World Tour cycling team (competing atthe highest levels of the sport, the only Israeli team ever to do so in any sport), which carries Israel’s good name around the world to huge live and television audiences. IPT is more than just a cycling team, they share a social mission; promoting coexistence, peace and national pride all over the globe.

Adams believes that sport is an invaluable resource that enables people from different backgrounds, races, religions and ethnicities to come together and foster respect, sportsmanship and friendship through competition. Adamsis behind the establishment of the first velodrome in the Middle East and the creation of a sports excellence institute at Tel Aviv University, aimed at converting Israeli athletic potential into Olympic medals. He is also a governor and vice-chair at Tel Aviv University and a member of the cabinet of TAU’s Global Campaign. Beyond sport, Adams’ philanthropic investments leverage Israeli innovation to positively impact Israeli society, the region and beyond. His projects include the construction of a groundbreaking children’s hospital in Holon, revolutionizing emergency medicine with Israel’s finest, state-of-the-art emergency ward in Tel Aviv, a project to supply laptops to every special education teacher in Israel and a scholarship program for young, promising artists. He funded the construction of a state-of-the-art gymnasium at the iconic Jerusalem YMCA, where the entire city, religious and secular, young and old, congregate. He is also one of the major donors to Save A Child’s Heart, a humanitarian organization that provides life-saving cardiac care for children from the Palestinian territories and developing countries, who cannot get adequate medical care at home. Sylvan has also funded important Jewish community institutions in North America, primarily in his former home of Montreal, where Jewish education and demographic continuity are his priorities. Adams is the only Israeli member of the Giving Pledge, an organization initiated by Warren Buffet and Bill and Melinda Gates for billionaires committed (in writing, as signers of the pledge) to give away the majority of their wealth to philanthropic pursuits. In recognition of his work, Adams was one of the few Israelis invited to the signing of the historic Abraham Accords at the White House in the summer of 2020. His varied philanthropic pursuits will continue to make a tangible, positive impact in Israel, across the Middle East and beyond. When asked what his next project will be, he replied: “I’m JUST. GETTING. STARTED.”