Pengana chief executive Russel Pillemer says more Australian business leaders need to speak out against the “blatant antisemitism” being experienced amid the Israel-Hamas war.

The prominent Sydney businessman co-founded the homegrown investment management firm with former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull in 2003. He strongly identifies as a member of the city’s tight-knit Jewish community and was in the now war-torn region just four months ago, where he has numerous family members, colleagues and friends.