Uri Akavia, COO and Public Policy Researcher. He holds a Master’s degree in Applied Chemistry from the Hebrew University and a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and Physics. He is fluent in Hebrew, English, German, and Arabic. As COO he manages the organization’s day-to-day operations and ensures that it runs smoothly and efficiently. His research at the forum focuses on the causes of high living costs: monopolies and cartels in various sectors, cumbersome regulations that burden small and large businesses, and trade barriers that isolate the Israeli economy and limit the range of products and services available to consumers. Additionally, he has advanced the fight against the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which perpetuates the refugee problem as a weapon against the State of Israel. Previously, he worked in regulation aimed at maintaining air quality at the Ministry of Environmental Protection, operated an experimental facility for developing technology to reduce air pollution from coal-fired power plants at a cleantech company, and taught chemistry at colleges in Jerusalem.