A prominent entrepreneur and philanthropist, Roberto Kaminitz was born in Montevideo, Uruguay, in 1935. He attended a preparatory school and college in the United States before moving to São Paulo, Brazil, where he embarked on his professional journey.
In addition to a noteworthy career at the helm of successful companies in the electronics, real estate, and finance industries, he has held leadership roles in prominent organizations such as the Brazilian Electrical and Electronics Industry Association and the Latin American Association of Manufacturers of Electrical and Electronic Industries.
In 2012, he became a Vice President of the Sociedade Beneficente Israelita Brasileira Albert Einstein, also serving on the Advisory Board and Board of Directors of the Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein and as President of the Rotary Club of Brooklin, São Paulo. His achievements have been recognized with the State Government of São Paulo’s Medal of the Order of Ipiranga (1982).
The Kaminitz family has deep-rooted ties to the Weizmann Institute: Mr. Kaminitz’s parents, Armando and Eva, were early donors to the Institute, and he and his brother Pablo have remained steadfast Weizmann supporters. Mr. Kaminitz’s own involvement began in 1988 when he hosted a delegation of Institute leaders and established
the Brazilian Friends of the Weizmann Institute of Science, which he headed for over a decade. In the decades since, Mr. Kaminitz and his wife Barbara have remained close friends of the Institute, playing an active role in the prosperity of the Brazilian Friends. Their support encompasses several major initiatives, including the Weizmann-Brazil Tumor Bank within the Moross Integrated Cancer Center.
Mr. Kaminitz’s dedication to fostering young talent through programs like the Bessie F. Lawrence International Summer Science Institute has created a lasting impact on Brazilian science and society, with participants who return from the Weizmann Institute to their native Brazil going on to become informal ambassadors for Israel and the Institute. Mr. Kaminitz is a Life Member of the International Board of the Weizmann Institute and a member of the President’s Circle.