Former U.S. Ambassador David Friedman leads NSO Group’s new U.S.-led ownership, aiming to lift U.S. sanctions and expand government contracts.

Former U.S. Ambassador David Friedman has been named executive chairman of NSO Group, the Israeli spyware firm, as it completes a sale to a U.S. investor group led by Hollywood producer Robert Simonds. The deal, finalized in November 2025, aims to lift NSO from the U.S. Commerce Department’s blacklist, restore access to American markets and technology, and enable future government contracts. The new ownership structure follows years of international criticism over the misuse of NSO’s Pegasus spyware. Friedman, a former Trump administration official, emphasized the company’s technical talent and mission to support national security. NSO will continue operating from Israel under defense ministry oversight while seeking regulatory reforms in both the U.S. and Israel to ease restrictions on its surveillance tools.