Chairman of the Castro-Hoodies Group Lands New Role: Gabi Rotter's Prestigious Appointment
Gabi Rotter, who led the fashion group for decades and was a partner in extensive business moves, will take on the role of Chairman of the Executive Committee of Shenkar College, replacing Yoav Horowitz.
Gabriel (Gabi) Rotter has been appointed Chairman of the Executive Committee of Shenkar, one of Israel's leading academic institutions in the fields of design, art, and engineering. Rotter brings with him over four decades of experience in management, business development, and leading large organizations.
Since 2020, he has served as Chairman of the Castro-Hoodies group, and over the years he has held a series of key positions in the Castro group, including thirty years as co-CEO. Rotter replaces Yoav Horowitz, who had served as Chairman of the Executive Committee of Shenkar since December 2023.
During his tenure, he was involved in leading significant business moves in the group's development. In 1992, he led Castro's IPO on the Israeli stock exchange, and subsequently led the acquisition and merger of the Hoodies group, which includes the brands Hoodies, Urbanica, Top Ten, and Carolina Lemke, in a move that consolidated all brands under the Castro-Hoodies group. In addition, he led the establishment of the group's cosmetics arm, which includes the franchises for the international brands Yves Rocher and Kiko Milano in Israel.
Alongside his business activities, Rotter has accumulated extensive experience on boards of directors and in corporate governance. Among other things, he served as an external director at FIBI Holdings, the controlling shareholder of the First International Bank, and as a director at the Paz company on behalf of controlling shareholder Tzadik Bino, where he was involved in supporting the company and even served as interim Chairman of the Board during a transition period. He also served as Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce.
Rotter holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, which he completed with Dean's honors, and is also an honors graduate of civil engineering studies at ORT Technikum Givatayim.
As Chairman of the Executive Committee of Shenkar, Rotter will be a partner in leading the institution's strategic activity and accompanying its continued academic and organizational development. His many years of experience in leading organizations, working with boards of directors, and connecting innovation, management, and industry are expected to contribute to further strengthening Shenkar's status as a leading academic institution that maintains a close connection with industry and the economy in Israel and around the world.
