Kareem Kanaan Appointed Head of Professional Division at Israel Tax Authority
CPA Kareem Kanaan has been appointed head of the Professional Division at the Israel Tax Authority. Kanaan previously engineered the trapped profits reform, which generated 20 billion NIS in state revenues.
CPA Kareem Kanaan has been appointed as the head of the Professional Division at the Israel Tax Authority, following his role as the chief of staff to the agency's director. Kanaan, 36, gained prominence as the mastermind behind the trapped profits tax reform, which generated approximately 20 billion NIS for the state coffers within a single year—double initial forecasts.
The controversial reform, which took effect in January 2025, imposed levies on companies holding substantial cash reserves without distributing dividends. Despite facing fierce opposition and legal challenges in the Knesset and the High Court of Justice, Kanaan spearheaded the legislation, drafted its provisions, and defended the policy before the Knesset Finance Committee.
Kanaan began his career at the Tax Authority 13 years ago as an auditing intern and later served as a supervisor for large enterprises. In 2023, Tax Authority Director Shay Aharonovich appointed him as his chief of staff. The new position as head of the Professional Division positions Kanaan to shape national tax policy, oversee enforcement strategies, and issue binding guidelines across regional tax offices.
