The departures are linked within the company NSO, editor of the very controversial spyware Pegasus.
Asher Levy, chief executive of NSO Group, maker of Pegasus software, stepped down on Tuesday. To anticipate any controversy, he indicated that his departure was not linked to the recent scandals which put the Israeli company in the light of the general public.
Two major departures in less than three months
For a few weeks now, departures have been linked at NSO. Already last November, it was the vice-president of the group, Isaac Benbenisti, who had slammed the door, referring at the time to the difficulties of the company in the United States. Benbenisti had been promoted to CEO two weeks before his departure, which then precipitated the return to business of Shalev Hulio, the historic founder of NSO.
Today, it is Asher Levy, executive director of the group, who in turn is leaving the ship. He had been in office since 2020, having been appointed by Novlepina Capital, one of NSO’s major shareholders at that time. But a change in ownership has reportedly prompted Levy to advise the new owners to hand over the running of the business to someone else.
In any case, NSO hasn’t had good publicity since its spyware scandal, which broke in July 2021. Just last week, the company was shaken again: the Israeli police allegedly used the Pegasus software without judicial authorization, in order to spy on opponents of former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Source: Ha’aretz
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