Israeli businessman Gil Birger has established a new company in Greece, expanding his business activities in the country. The firm, DeNovo Investments, has been registered with headquarters in the greater Athens area. It was founded with an initial share capital of €5,000, fully contributed by Birger, who is the company’s sole shareholder and managing director.
According to its founding documents, DeNovo Investments’ primary line of business is the provision of business and management consulting services. Its declared secondary activities cover a broad spectrum, including investment and financial advisory services, mergers and acquisitions, capital- and trust-related activities, the processing of financial transactions, as well as the acquisition, leasing, and management of real estate.
Birger has a long international track record in investment and strategic advisory services. He is the chief executive officer of Birger Holdings and previously served as a managing partner at the Washington-based consulting firm Rabin, Sheves, Lipkin-Shahak & Birger Inc. Earlier in his career, he worked as an economic and commercial attaché at the Israeli Embassy in the United States, where he focused on promoting business opportunities for U.S. companies in Israel and for Israeli companies in the American market.
His name attracted public attention several months ago in connection with the so-called “Qatargate” affair, which has been investigated by Israeli authorities. According to information made public during the police investigation, Birger was alleged to have acted as an intermediary in financial transactions linked to public relations campaigns carried out on behalf of Qatar. Investigators examined whether he had been used as a channel for transferring funds to individuals associated with the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. No charges were ultimately filed against Birger, who has stated that he acted strictly within the framework of professional services and without knowledge of any illegal or politically improper purpose.
According to the case file recently submitted by Israeli police to the State Prosecutor’s Office, the main suspects in the Qatargate case are three individuals with close ties to Netanyahu. The central suspect is Jonathan Urich, a former senior adviser and close associate of the prime minister, who is accused of receiving money to organize and oversee a public relations campaign in favor of Qatar, including after the October 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas.
The second suspect is Eli Feldstein, Netanyahu’s former spokesperson, who is alleged to have participated in the same campaign. The third is Yisrael Einhorn, a former campaign adviser to the prime minister, who is said to have played a role in both the strategic planning and implementation of the communications effort.
All three are reported to have acted as part of a coordinated attempt to improve Qatar’s image among the Israeli public at a time when Israel was at war and Qatar maintained ties with Hamas—factors that help explain both the strong public reaction and the potentially serious legal consequences associated with the case.
