Former Israeli premier Barak joins board of biometrics start-up backed by Swiss investor

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak has joined the board of a local startup that specializes in biometric identification technology.

FST Biometrics announced Monday that it had received a $15 million investment from GMF Capital, a firm led by Swiss investor Gary Fegel, and that Barak would serve as GMF's representative on the company board.

FST says it uses a combination of facial recognition and behavioral analytics in its products, and that its clients include governments and corporations. Its founder and chief executive is Aharon Zeevi Farkash, a former head of Israeli military intelligence.

Barak, a former Israeli military chief, served as prime minister from 1999 to 2001. More recently, he served as defense minister before retiring from politics in 2013.