Shlomi Bassan, Deputy CEO and Group COO of the Bazan Group, positioned Israel’s largest energy company as a critical operational system supporting the country’s economy and security during wartime at the Jerusalem Post 2026 New York Conference. “Bazan is a refinery, but this is the large energy company in Israel, a strategic company,” Bassan said, explaining that the company “produces; we take crude oil and turn it into products such as jet fuel, diesel, and bitumen,” adding that its activities extend well beyond refining. “We have a trade section; we deal with suppliers and customers; we have a shipping division; and we also have the logistics division that makes all this happen,” he said.
A central theme in Bassan’s remarks was Bazan’s role within Israel’s broader energy system. “We connect the global energy market with Israeli needs, from the air force to electricity for transportation,” he explained, detailing how the company links international supply chains with domestic demands across vital sectors. Bassan also stressed the operational challenges faced by the workforce, especially during conflicts. “The people's ability, their operational knowledge and decision-making under pressure during wartime,” he noted, is crucial for maintaining operations in extreme conditions. "Without Bazan, there is no electricity, no transportation, and Israel cannot win."
Regarding recent events, Bassan mentioned the company's direct impacts during hostilities, including the loss of employees in an attack. Despite this, he assured that operations continued with minimal disruption: “We recover after two days, we didn’t stop producing." He added that production was maintained to meet urgent national needs, including supply to Israel’s security forces. In reflecting on the broader implications of the war, Bassan said the company’s role had evolved. “Before the war, we were an industrial company. After the war, we are part of the resilience security,” he said.