McKinsey Director Named to Promote Investment in Palestinian Economy

Wall Street Journal
April 24, 2014
Simon Clark

LONDON—The quartet of nations and international organizations formed to promote peace between Israel and the Palestinians has appointed Kito de Boer, a director of McKinsey & Co., to lead its effort to boost private-sector investment in the Palestinian economy.

The appointment of Mr. de Boer by the so-called Middle East quartet—the United Nations, the European Union, the U.S. and Russia—was expected to be announced as early as Thursday evening at a scheduled dinner for Israeli and Palestinian business leaders at the U.S. State Department. It also comes amid turmoil in the peace process.

Israel suspended its participation in the talks on Thursday, a day after two rival Palestinian political factions, one of which is sworn to Israel’s destruction, agreed to form a national unity government.

Rachel Grant, a spokeswoman for former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, the quartet’s diplomatic representative, confirmed Mr. de Boer’s appointment. It could be announced by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry at the State Department dinner on Thursday.

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