Founder and president - Uri Ben Ari

Uri Ben-Ari is a seasoned international business person with 30 years of experience in senior management and entrepreneurship. Uri specializes in developing and implementing strategic business and marketing plans for companies active in international markets. Over the course of his career, he has undertaken senior management and business/market development activities in the United States, Western Europe, Central and Eastern Europe, Israel, India and the Far East.
 

• Uri was a member of the senior management team that led the successful IPOs on NASDAQ of two leading Israeli companies – Ness Technologies (NSTC) in 2004 and Internet Zahav (IGLD) in 1999. Over the past decade, he has been involved in more than 10 M&A deals of companies in Europe, the US, Israel and India.
 

• Uri serves as chairman, director, investor and/or strategic consultant for international business development at a number of public and private technology companies active in the areas of organizational IT, security, the Internet, and mobile communications. Uri is also involved in the acquisition and mergers of private companies.

• Uri is an expert in the area of “smart cities.” Over the last few years, he has aided cities in becoming “smart cities” using methodologies developed by Uri in tandem with models developed by leading universities and research institutes in Europe.

• Uri is a social entrepreneur who is the founder and president of Athena Fund, which is dedicated to empowering teachers in Israel by providing them with laptop computers and professional training (www.en.athenafund.org).

• Uri is a former basketball player who played on the Israeli national team that earned a silver medal at the European Championship of 1979 in Torino.

• Uri holds a BA in Economics and an MBA from Tel Aviv University.