DHL Express Israel CEO, Yonatan Ivgi, Outlines Optimistic Forecast for 2026

In an inspiring TED talk at the PORT2PORT 2025 conference, Yonatan Ivgi, CEO of DHL Express Israel, presented an optimistic vision for 2026, citing three main reasons for growth: economic, business, and human. According to him, 2026 is a year of real opportunities.

On the economic aspect, Ivgi referred to the global economic situation, presenting data from the DHL Trade Radar, which is based on international shipping data and macro data from NYC University: "It's clear that in the last two years the connectivity index has dropped. The level of trade, tourism, and even the bandwidth of the internet has decreased - but this year there is a small reason for optimism. The global economy is slowing down, with about 3.2% growth, but the United States is surprisingly good, India is booming, and the world is reconnecting."

About Israel, he said: "Even in Israel, there are signs of renewed connection to global markets. The decline we experienced in Israel in the last two years is exactly our opportunity for growth. The forecast is that 2026 will put us above the starting point of 2023. Crisis is not a slogan but a gateway to growth."

Referring to the American market and the sharp changes in the customs policy of the Trump administration, Ivgi emphasized that this is a critical time for Israeli exporters: "The Americans are the consumers of the world, they do not stop buying, but the rules of the game are changing. This is a critical period for Israeli exporters. Whoever has a more differentiated product, provides better value, and understands the new tax rules - will win."

According to him, this is a real opportunity: "If your competitor is sitting in China, he is paying 30% customs. In Vietnam - 20%. We only have 15%. This is an amazing starting point. Check the taxes, price correctly, and take advantage of this window. There are already Israeli exporters who have done this and are selling more."

In the human capital dimension, Ivgi offered a simple insight for management in an era of emotional overload and burnout. According to him, sometimes all you need is to ask one small question, twice. "Ask an employee if he is okay. And then ask again 'Are you really okay? Is everything really good?'" He added: "It sounds simple, but it's amazing. The second time, when there is a moment of silence, suddenly the truth comes. The employee says what he really thinks, the management shares, the deputy CEO talks about what bothers him. Once things are put on the table, then you can really deal with them. This is seeing an employee at eye level, and it works."

He then added honestly: "We are not okay. I'm not okay, and you're not okay. If anyone here thinks he's okay - he's wrong. You can't be okay after two years like this. So how do we expect employees not to leave us, or not to hurt, if we didn't address this? It's time to change. That's where commitment grows."

He reported that DHL Israel was recently selected as one of the ten best places to work in Israel by the Great Place to Work organization and added: "An employee who feels seen - is efficient, loyal, and brings satisfied customers. Organizational commitment is a growth engine."

According to Ivgi, the labor market is stabilizing. He said that hundreds of thousands are now returning to the workforce after long reserve service. "Not everyone is returning 100%, and it's very important to employ exactly those. Open your heart a bit. Look at who is sitting in front of you in a job interview and even if he doesn't look 100%, take him. This is the time to really invest in people", he said and received applause from the audience.

Referring to DHL's activity in Israel, he said: "We have returned to peak speed. We have returned the evening flights, we land every morning with 2-3 flights, and we operate the only 777 in Israel that does express cargo every Monday. So if you have strange and large cargoes that still need to arrive quickly, then there is a place for it. We took the routine by force."

He ended his speech with a message: "I wish that 2026 will make us less of an island state and more connected to neighbors. It can't be that we are the only region in the world where it's hard to move things to nearby markets. And simply that we continue to meet here, every year."