The first digital bank in Israel: Happy Hour at One Zero offices

They claim that this is a high-tech company for everything - and my guests we spent a happy hour with, we also agree.

We went on a tour of the "One Zero" Mardi Gras and came back with reflections on Thomas Edison, but without Ramen taps

Liat Ron

07/07/2022

Thursday, 07 July 2022, 12:45 Updated: 16:29

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Right: Hila Elkayam, Ilya Gutman and Guy Giladi (Photo: Reuven Castro)

What to do

: Van Zero is the first digital bank in Israel, a bank without branches based on technological developments.

:

, 31, married plus two, lives in Shaham.

Position: Backend Developer, one year at the company.

, 32, in a relationship, from Rehovot.

One year and three months in the company, position: Data Scientist

, 47, married plus two, from Rishon Lezion.

Position: R&D Team Lead, two years and two months in the company.

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"We do not build a bank every day" (Photo: Reuven Castro)

Location:

In a low-rise building, relative to the towers that surround it (like that of the nearby Toyota), the offices of the first digital bank in Israel are spread over two floors.

The atmosphere is pioneering.

The 300 employees, imbued with enthusiasm for taking part in Israel's financial history, are surrounded by various slogans printed in black on the walls, such as, "We do not build a bank every day. In fact, every day every day" and "When we finish building, we will continue."

The office floor is made of smooth concrete, the ceiling is designed in an exposed style, the enclosed work spaces are surrounded by glass walls and the "open space" is laden with wooden work stations, and between them are seating areas with gray sofas, mustard, gray and black armchairs, green and orange cushions.

There are glass "phone booths" for zooming and fact in peace, the meeting rooms are called by names like "Pixel" and "Splash".

There is no shower, ball pool or ramen tap here.

Still, a bank.

: Near the dining room, and in other places in the space, there is an illustrated wallpaper of the Statue of Liberty, unicorns and a lamp that someone holds in their hand and flutters to Edison, and above all it is written in English: "How long will it take".

In the large space, the company's gatherings are also held and there are tables and chairs, a soft seating area, and opposite a wooden kitchen, with gray marble and on the wall small tiles in dark gray.

In the right corner are protesting health snacks that are tailored to each employee individually, according to watches they wear and measure the level of stress.

Evidence from the field states that the snacks, one of which tastes like chocolate, cranberries and sage, are even delicious.

Next to them there is a sweet corner with bottles, M & Ms, and Darje balls coated in chocolate and an ice cream fridge laden with magnums, diesel and popsicles.

In the transparent refrigerator are several types of milk, cheese, cottage cheese, brick, Safed, tapenade spread and sun-dried tomato spread, wholemeal breads of several types and butter. Also cornflakes champions, Nutella, chocolate, oatmeal, wholesale olive oil, and a professional Nespresso machine. Opposite is a fruit table. No soft drinks, just water, soda and coffee. In the morning bring fresh breads and pastries, and for lunch order from outside.

A hint to Edison.

Lucky not for Tesla (Photo: Reuven Castro)

CV

: Guy was a computer kid.

At the age of five, he and his brother received the first Windows '95 and fought battles over it.

He later became curious about the world of computers, not in a professional section, but more in the direction of gaming.

Although in high school he majored in computers, it was clear to him that this was not his direction in life.

But, as is well known, life has its direction, and after serving in combat and self-searching in Thailand, he found himself at Afeka College studying software engineering and at the same time working as a technical supporter in a computerized cash register company.

After building for them a judicial system that met a critical need, they offered him to go into development.

After two years, he moved to the development of a credit card company, from there to Tufin.

"When a team member started working at the digital bank and exposed me to the concept," he says, "I knew it was my next goal, to take part in building the bank."

We are all among the first to join his services.

I work in the development team that builds the securities trading platforms, an entire domain that is insanely challenging. "

Hila did not show an extraordinary technological sense in childhood.

In high school she majored in math and chemistry and in the military and served as an interceptor in the Air Force, piloting pilots.

After graduation, she worked in all kinds of jobs, including as a "teller" at the bank, and enrolled in mathematics, which she always loved, and computer science, because he was considered trendy and began looking for a job as a student.

After completing her degree, she joined a company of expert consultants who rent out her services, process improvement in companies and technological development.

She started there as a developer and finished, after 14 years, as a senior "developer in Canada".

When Van Zero started looking for people, she became interested.

"It was in Corona, I got a home computer, On Boarding Zoom. In the previous company I created projects that are beyond technology, in the processes of 'On Boarding', the absorption process in the organization, and 'Buddis', veteran employees who accompany new employees, and I connected to the idea of ​​taking part in Establishment of a bank after 43 years

"I was the first developer of the bank and slowly more and more people joined. When I entered there was not a single line of code and today there is a product that works. I am a team leader in one of the development departments and we are responsible for the banking world. I have six people on the team and I am looking for more, for those who are interested.

"At the same time, I took care of an information-sharing project that grew and grew for guilds.

The idea is to take a group of people with professional ability who come together to increase their abilities, and that includes, among other things.

Lectures we give between us, setting standards for development, building infrastructure and scanning new technologies and many other things.

The company has four guilds in different fields, an amazing project that has a huge benefit for employees and the company. "

Ilya started tinkering with computers at about age 12 and was sucked all the way into it.

He majored in computers and physics, because that's how he got out, and there he was exposed to the worlds of programming, but did not think it would be his career and did military service at the Border Police. Trading on the stock exchange.

"From there I decided to study for a master's degree.

I befriended a professor who specialized in applied statistics and worked at a Canadian hedge fund, as a developer of a trading strategy, how to better trade stocks to save costs.

I moved to another company that dealt with natural language processing and at the height of the corona I returned to Israel.

At first I still worked remotely with Canada, but enjoyed it less.

"When a LinkedIn contact posted that they were looking for a Data Scientist bank, I came here. Today I am on a team that develops insights, which are supposed to help customers get along better and identify what goes beyond what is expected."

The culture of the transparent walls (Photo: Reuven Castro)

For the soul

: In addition to the "guilds" that drink most of her free time, Hila runs twice a week and is a very involved mother of her two teenagers.

Guy has a twin brother named Gal, a sister named Gil and their last name is Giladi.

"My brother is a building engineer," he laughs.

"He has no ass to sit on a chair for so many hours. In the army we would not notice."

Ilya plays the guitar and travels as much as possible.

: Every holiday there are invested parties, they went on a two-day trip to the Dead Sea with massages, rangers, ice creams, on the fire, alcohol, and a performance by Ivri Lider in Masada and there is epic air for everyone and epic air in teams.

"Maybe it's the culture of transparent walls," says Hila, "we are very good friends. We all started working in Corona and it's not obvious that you do not see people physically and become their friend."

Guy is not looking for psilitis.

"We are not missing anything in any way. Human resources take advantage of every reason to party. On Pride Day one of the employees told his personal story, all in a fun, light-hearted atmosphere. Every Thursday the CEO seats the employees in the kitchen and everyone discusses progress, remembering what we actually do Here.

There is a single pride. "Ilya agrees and emphasizes that the management takes care of the employees and in every little thing they are consulted.

"We do not feel a crisis with us in any way" (Photo: Reuven Castro)

Industry crisis

: Halo is not worried: "Because we have a real product under construction, and investors believe in it, there is no sense of pressure or worry."

Ilya: "We do not feel a crisis in any way. We recruit, expand, add products and there is no sense of slowdown."

: T-shirt.

: Van Zero has taken over the sponsorship of the Premier League and whoever enters the offices comes across a screen with a picture of football on a green background.

Hila plans to be on the pitches, Guy is not really an Israeli football fan and Ilya promises to follow next season.

The Premier League awaits them (Photo: Reuven Castro)

Where to work from

: The hybrid model is completely flexible.

Each team arrives at the office between two and three days.

Guy is no longer able to work from home anymore, "something really unusual has to happen, so I don't get to the office."

: "We are a high-tech company for everything," explains Hila, to those who still think it's a bunch of tie-dyed bankers, "we are a start-up for everything, fintech, and the wages here are competitive for high-tech companies. The options.

: Guy here at Paul Power.

"Until I see the bank standing on its feet, there's no way I'm moving out of here."

"Because I'm involved in so many projects beyond development," says Hila, "I'm in a big playground and I have a lot to learn." , He's just excited.

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• happy hour

• Digital banking

• Hi-Tech