Robert Singer (born in 1956 in Chernivtsi, Ukraine) is a businessman and senior executive, serving as Chairman of Spero Impact Solutions. He serves as a volunteer senior executive of several diplomatic, Jewish, and educational nonprofits and initiatives, including Center for Jewish Impact (Chairman), Alumot Or (Chairman of the Board of Directors), SASA Setton (President and Chairman of the Board of Directors), the Anières Program (co-founder), and Combat Antisemitism Movement (Member of the Board of Governors).
Singer has an extensive background in education, world Jewish affairs, and diplomacy. Most notably, he served as the chief executive officer and Executive-Vice President of the World Jewish Congress from May 2013 until July 2019, and was responsible for historic contributions and strategic decisions made by the international Jewish NGO. He previously served as CEO of World ORT (1999 - 2013), and later their Chairman of the Board of Trustees (2020-2023).
Prior to these roles, Singer was a senior officer in the IDF and the Prime Minister’s Office, where he initiated significant programs in Israel such as Naaleh, Heftziba, Yanosh, and many others, and helped facilitate the aliyah of more than a million Soviet Jews to Israel in the late 1980s through Nativ.
Professional career
Business Sector
Spero Impact Solutions
In 2019, Robert Singer founded Spero Impact Solutions, an impact investment and consulting firm, where he serves as Chairman and CEO. Spero provides extensive solutions in the fields of Impact Investments, Philanthropy, Project Management, and Impact Consulting, managing investment portfolios of high-net-wealth Individuals who chose to invest in projects with financial impact in Israel to advance Israel's society and economy.
Nonprofit Sector
Center for Jewish Impact
In 2020, Robert Singer co-founded the Center for Jewish Impact , an Israeli nonprofit where he serves as Chairman (volunteer). CJI was established with the vision of becoming a focal point and center for excellence for innovative and impactful initiatives that deliver benefits to Israel and the Jewish world.
Serving as an address for foreign diplomats and dignitaries, international organizations, and Jewish communities who wish to interact directly with Israeli civil society, CJI focuses on impactful activities to facilitate these connections through key initiatives such as the Diplomatic Salon Series, One Team One People, the CJI Fellows program, delegations, and other projects in the fields of education, Israel-diaspora Jewry relations, interfaith dialogue, and combatting antisemitism.
In his role as Chairman of the Center for Jewish Impact, and Member of the Governor's Board of Combat Antisemitism Movement, Robert Singer co-organized the Balkan Forum Against Antisemitism held in partnership with the Albanian Parliament (October 2020) and the Mayors’ Summit Against Antisemitism (November 2022) co-organized with the Mayor of Athens, Greece. Likewise, Robert Singer was one of the main organizers of the Kyiv Forum, which took place on December 15–16, 2021. Additionally, Mr. Singer held several round table events and events with Multinational Envoys and representatives including the EU envoy to the Middle East, UNAOC, and a delegation of senior diplomats from the Permanent Missions to the UN in Geneva.
SASA Setton
On a voluntary basis as Chairman and President, Singer leads the NGO SASA Setton, an Israeli philanthropic social organization that leads education for hospitalized children in Israel to ensure hospitalization is not a barrier to education and to offer social and emotional support to these children.
Alumor Or
Robert Singer serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Alumot Or , an Israeli philanthropic social organization that promotes and implements excellence programs in schools for children with Autism, disabilities, and at-risk youth. These programs focus on the student rather than the disability, to develop autonomy, assist with the transition to adulthood, and take a holistic approach that accounts for the child’s environment.
Anieres Program
Singer co-founded the Anières Program, an excellence scholarship program, aimed to create an elite student community.