Tal Barnea and Sharon Ben-David join Tel Aviv’s core team

Though we are just on the cusp of Minsk for Junior Eurovision 2018, that hasn’t stopped updates for the adult contest next year. Israeli media have reported two new members have been added to the core team for Tel Aviv 2019. Both additions would be working under the vision of Ms. Zivit Davidovitch, who will be the Executive Producer for Eurovision 2019. 

Who is Tal Barnea?

Eagle-eyed fans may recognise Mr. Barnea by name or even recognise his face. In Lisbon Mr. Barnea was the head of delegation for Israel. During the 2016 and 2017 contests he was the deputy head of delegation for Israel. However, his interaction with Eurovision stretches all the way back to the last time the country hosted at the turn of the century in 1999! In 2005, Mr. Barnea started working at the EBU in Geneva as a project manager. 

In Tel Aviv 2019, Mr. Barnea will be the Director of International Relations, acting as the coordinator of the EBU and Eurovision operations at KAN. As part of this role, he will be accountable for arranging activities with the many international partners who are involved in the production of the contest. Obviously, this will include a close relationship with the EBU. Given the recent news about the Reference group reshuffle, it is safe to say who he will be working closely with. Given this extensive experience, it seems like he is the perfect choice to ensure a smooth and orderly contest. 

Who is Sharon Ben-David?

Sharon Ben-David joined KAN as the broadcaster’s spokesperson two years ago. In Lisbon, Ben-David was the spokeswoman for the Israeli delegation working alongside Tal Barnea. 

When it comes to Eurovision 2019, Ms. Ben-David has been reportedly been appointed as Head of Communications. She will be responsible for the communication system and will work alongside the 1500 journalists who will be in the arena covering the contest. This will include working alongside and communicating with a range of entities, both in Israel and globally. These media personalities also includes the Tel Aviv municipality and the Ministries of Tourism and Culture.