Aninsurance broker by profession, Shamir began working prior to embarking on a business career. In 1981, Shamir's business career was launched, when at the age of 30, he purchased 50% of the company's shares and changed its name to
Mivtach Shamir Holdings Ltd. In 1992, Shamir went on to purchase the remaining shares of the company, thus becoming the holding company's sole owner and corporate director. In the following years, Shamir sold the company's insurance business, turning it into an internationally active holding and investment company that invests mainly in technology and communications, real estate and industrial manufacturing. Shamir's holding company, Mivtach Shamir Ltd. operates throughout Israel and in other countries, investing in the fields of industrial manufacturing, high-technology and communications, real estate, provides private equity and venture capital, with a special focus on medical, biotechnology and biotechnology companies. In 2007, Mivtach Shamir invested $15 million in TVJ (Tower Vision Jersey), an Indian telecommunications infrastructure provider. Two months later, Mivtach Real Estate, which is a subsidiary of Mivtach Shamir, invested $13 million worth of commercial property and real estate in Chennai, India as part of an investment group that placed $30 million into the real estate development project. The aim of the investment was to build offices, hotels, commercial centers and other complexes over 2.25 million sqm of the city. According to the signed agreement, in exchange for their investment, Mivtach would receive 32% of the project's shares. In 2015, Shamir's holding company invested $7 million in a promising Israeli information security start-up named
Nyotron. Mivtach Shamir also held a 21% stake in the Israeli food company
Tnuva Group, and played a crucial part in its acquisition by the Chinese food manufacturer
Bright Food in 2015, a deal which netted Shamir €252 million in profit. In 2009 he received an
honorary degree from the
Bar Ilan University "in recognition of his pivotal role in Israel's business sector…and his generous support of underprivileged university students." He has served on the university's board of trustees since 2005, contributed to the Bible Studies Department and funded student scholarships. Shamir has been head of the presidency of Taglit Israel since 2012.
Corporate contribution In 2015 Mivtach Shamir donated a state-of-the-art ambulance to the
ZAKA emergency response teams in
Petah Tikva. The company has sponsored several IDF units and battalions and funded their recreational activities as part of the Association for the Wellbeing of Israel's Soldiers (AWIS) Adoption project – Ametz Lohem (adopt a soldier).
Hapoel Petah Tikva Meir Shamir was the owner of the football club
Hapoel Petah Tikva F.C., sold the stadium and disappeared with the money. == Personal details==