By HERB KEINON
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu named Eyal Gabai as director-general of the Prime Minister's Office on Monday, filling a key vacancy in his office.
The PMO issued a statement saying that Netanyahu's close confidant Izzy Tapuchi, who was in the running for the prestigious post, removed himself from the race because of "previous obligations."
Gabai comes to the PMO from the Australian investment firm Babcock & Brown, where he served as manager of their Israel branch. From 2002 to 2007 he served as director of the Government Companies Authority.
Gabai, 42, is married with four children and lives in Modi'in. He has a BA in economics and law, and an MA in business administration.