December 12th, 08:30

Peres Center for Peace & Innovation

Kedem St 132, Tel Aviv-Yafo

Welcome To IAC

Israel is experiencing one of the most challenging periods in its history. The aviation industry faces an unprecedented global challenge. The combination of commercial aviation operating in a prolonged threatened environment leads the Israel Aviation Conference, organized by the Pilots’ Association, to address a topic never before explored on the world stage.

Israel Aviation Conference 2024  
The 4th Israeli Aviation Conference: Invitation to a Key Event

This year’s conference, to be held on December 12, 2024, takes place under the shadow of the Iron Swords War. The continued operation of the aviation industry in a long-term threatened region is an unprecedented global event in modern aviation history. It requires real-time operational and commercial adjustments, cooperation, and preparation for an uncertain future.

The upcoming conference, focusing on “Aviation in Wartime,” is the leading aviation event in the Middle East. We invite our valued partners to participate and help us create a significant event addressing a critical issue for the future of aviation in Israel.

The conference will host international aviation figures and key decision-makers from Israel and the region to discuss the major challenges of this period. Topics will include commercial collaborations in the current aviation era, incorporating both military and civilian considerations, and how they intersect in the aviation world.

The involvement of various companies and stakeholders enables us, as an established professional association, to organize this important gathering at this time. Airlines from Israel and abroad, aircraft manufacturers, weapons industries, government and regulatory bodies from Israel and the world, as well as entities from the aviation sector and related fields, will be part of the conference.

The 2024 Israeli Aviation Conference

December 12th, 08:30, Peres Center for Peace & Innovation

Kedem St 132, Tel Aviv-Yafo

Days
Hours
Minutes
Seconds

SPONSORS

PLATINUM

EL AL
IAI

GOLD

ISRAIR

SILVER

LOCKHEED MARTIN
ARKIA
MOR
HISTADRUT
ISRAEL CANADA
Transport Workers Union
Passport News
Carlyle Aviation

BRONZE

IATA
MAMAN AVIATION
EASTERN

Agenda

08:30 – 09:15 \ Gathering

 09:15 – 09:40 \ Opening remarks:

  • Noga Nir Neeman, Journalist at @13newsil
  • Midan Bar, Chairman of the Israeli Airline Pilots Association

09:40 – 09:45 \ Major General Tomer Bar, Commander of the Israeli Air Force

 09:45 – 10:05 \ The Fragility of Civil Aviation:

1 on 1 Sharon Kedmi CEO at Israel Airports Authority With Golan bar yosef, journalist and co-editor of Maariv newspaper

 10:05 – 10:25 \ How to Stay Competitive in a Limited Competition Market:

1 on 1 Dina Ben Tal, CEO of El Al Airlines with Brigadier General (res.) Avi Bnaiahu, former Israel Defense Forces Spokesperson

10:25 – 10:45 \ Aviation Security During Wartime:

1 on 1 Uri Sirkis, CEO of Israir Airlines CEO with Dean Fischer , Journalist at @keshet12

10:45 – 11:05 \ The Importance of National Airlines in Israel:

1 on1 Oz Berlowitz, CEO of Arkia Airlines CEO and Adi Azulay, Owner and Managing Director Passport

11:05 – 11:15 \ The second life of passenger planes worldwide:

Shmuel Kuzi, EVP & General Manager, Aviation group, IAI

11:15 – 11:35 \ Maximizing the Boeing 737 Max:

1 on1 Major General (res.) Ido Nehushtan, President Boeing Israel With Arad Nir, International Commentator and Foreign Editor @N12News

11:35 – 11:50 \ How to remain a business leader during wartime and overcome logistical obstacles:

Oren Eshet, GM Flight Ops & Flight Test, IAI

11:50 – 12:00 \ Israel’s Aviation Award

12:00 – 12:10 \ From Passive to active attitude with Alon Gal, Chairman and owner of TOOT Communication and Results Ltd

12:10 – 12:30 \Safeguarding Workers’ Rights in Times of War:

1 on 1 Eyal Yadin union chairman  of the Histadrut Transportation Workers’ with RON GENAT, the legal counsel to the Israel Airline Pilots Association

12:30 – 12:50 \ The Power of Early Detection: A Key to a Healthier Life:

1 on 1 Nicky Liebermann, M.D., Medical Director – MOR health Institute with DR. ITAY GAL, the medical correspondent for Maariv, Ynet, and Yedioth Ahronoth

12:50 – 13:00 \ Conclusion with Meidan Bar

13:00 \ Lunch

The 2024 Israeli Aviation Conference

December 12th, 08:30, Peres Center for Peace & Innovation

Kedem St 132, Tel Aviv-Yafo

Days
Hours
Minutes
Seconds

Alon Gal

owner of TOOT Communication

Alon Gal, known as “The National Coach,” is the Chairman and owner of TOOT Communication and Results Ltd., Israel’s leading coaching and consulting firm and the largest coaching school in the country, for over 24 years.

As one of the most prominent coaches in Israel, Alon has guided and coached tens of thousands of individuals, families, and commercial companies. He has lectured over the years to an audience exceeding one and a half million people.

His clientele includes major organizations and corporations such as El Al, Intel, Bank Hapoalim, Bezeq, the Israel Police, Google, Albar, and numerous government ministries.

Alon is the author of several books, including “30 Days with Alon Gal,” “The Secrets of Excellence,” “100 Life Lessons,” “The Success Project of My Life,” and “The Saturday Story,” which became a bestseller in under 72 hours. Recently, Alon launched his sixth book, “My God.”

He hosted the successful television program “Overdraft Family,” which was sold to 14 countries, and for the past 10 years has anchored the popular radio show “Alon Gal Without Breaks” on 103FM every Friday. He also hosted the economic program “Where’s the Money?” on 103FM.

These programs have garnered over 150,000 listeners.
Alon is a leading online personality in his field, maintaining a vibrant social media community with over 250,000 followers and a network reach of hundreds of thousands of people.

Avi Benayahu

Strategic consultant

Avi Benayahu is a retired Brigadier General from the IDF, owner, and CEO of Benayahu Consulting and Strategy Ltd., established in 2012, which specializes in strategic consulting, communication, and crisis management. His clients include both Israeli and international entities in various sectors. Benayahu has a rich background in communications, having served in prominent positions such as IDF Spokesperson, Commander and Chief Editor of Galei Tzahal, and communications advisor to several high-ranking Israeli officials. He also has extensive experience in journalism, media management, and crisis management. In addition to his professional work, he is involved in various public activities, including serving on the Council for Journalism in Israel. Benayahu holds a degree in Political Science from the University of Haifa and has participated in several advanced training courses related to security, leadership, and national issues.

Dina Ben-Tal Ganancia

CEO of El Al Airlines

Dina Ben-Tal Ganancia is the CEO of El Al Airlines since 2022, becoming the first woman to hold this position. With over 25 years of experience in the aviation industry, her journey with El Al began in 1999 as a strategic consultant. She officially joined the company in 2008 as the Fleet Planning and Strategy Manager and has held multiple leadership roles since, including Head of Revenue Management and Vice President of Commercial and Aviation Affairs. In these capacities, she developed business and commercial strategies and led significant aircraft acquisition deals. Ben-Tal Ganancia assumed the CEO role during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in a deep crisis in global aviation. Her leadership and efficiency measures guided El Al through this period and set it on a recovery path. In 2023, under her guidance, El Al unveiled a strategic plan for the coming years and introduced a new branding language. The airline’s commitment to service excellence was recognized as it received the highest five-star rating for the fourth consecutive year in the international APEX rankings. El Al operates a fleet of approximately 45 aircraft, offering flights to various destinations across North America, Asia, and Europe, including services through its subsidiary, Sun d’Or. Leading a company that employs over 5,000 people, Ben-Tal Ganancia has directed El Al towards growth and success. The dedication of El Al’s teams, both in Israel and abroad, on the ground and in the air, has enabled the airline to maintain a vital air bridge connecting Israel to the world in both routine and crisis situations. Ben-Tal Ganancia’s accomplishments have had a significant impact on El Al Airlines.

Eyal Yadin

Chairman of the Transport Workers Union- Histadrut

Eyal Yadin is a lawyer, 42 years old, and married with 3 children. He previously
worked at Benjamin M. Cohen & Co. Law Firm, which specializes in the field of labor
relations, and also served as Business VP at the Migdal insurance company. Since
his retirement from Migdal, Yadin founded a consulting company in the field of labor
relations.
In January 2023

Golan Bar Yosef

Editor in Chief ,Maariv

Golan Bar Yosef is a journalist, editor, and co-editor-in-chief of the newspaper “Maariv” since 2014.

A graduate of the “Koteret” School of Journalism. He began his journalistic career as a sports reporter for the local newspaper in Petach Tikva. In 2000, he was part of the founding team of the sports department at YNET news portal. Later, he served as the Editor-In-chief of “The Mekomon” Network news.

Between 2003 and 2014, he also served as the supervising editor for additional projects published by “The Jerusalem Post” group, including the magazines “Cosmopolitan” and “Forbes Israel”. In 2007, he founded and edited the newspaper “Israel Post”.

MG (ret.) Ido D. Nehushtan

President, Boeing Israel

Ido Nehushtan is president of Boeing Israel. In this capacity he is responsible for promoting and coordinating all companywide activities as well as developing and implementing company’s strategies in Israel.
Nehushtan is also serving as a member of the Executive Board of the Weizmann Institute for Science, a member of the board of The National Library of Israel and as the Chairman of the Israel – Australia Chamber of Commerce.
Before joining Boeing, Nehushtan was active in the private sector. Among others, he served as a senior strategic consultant for technological companies such as Dell – EMC, Elbit Systems and IAI.

Military career highlights:
Mg (ret.) Nehushtan served as the 16th commander of the Israeli Air force (IAF), a position he held between the years 2008 – 2012. During his tenure, General Nehushtan significantly augmented Israel’s Ballistic Missile Defense capabilities and oversaw the successful launch of the “Iron Dome”, an active defense system for intercepting rockets and missiles in the air.

Nehushtan also expanded the IAF’s fighter aircraft capacity, signing the LOA for the procurement of the first IAF squadron of the advanced 5th generation F-35I fighter jets. In addition, Nehushtan enhanced the IAF’s operational capabilities in various areas and led the force through extensive operational activity. Among others, he commanded the IAF during operation “Cast Lead” in Gaza strip in 2009.
Education:
Nehushtan holds a Bachelor of Science degree cum laude in mathematics and computer science from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and a Master of Business Administration from the Kellogg School of Management and the Reccannati School of Business Administration at Tel Aviv University.
He is also a graduate of Harvard University’s Advanced Management Program (AMP).
Nehushtan is married to Orna, they have 3 children.

Dr. Itay Gal

Medical correspondent for Israel’s “Maariv news”

Dr. Itay Gal is the medical correspondent for Israel’s “Maariv news” company, and also for Israel’s  newspaper “Maariv.” Prior to that he had been the medical reporter of ynet news. Itay began his career in journalism, as a teenager, when he started working for the youth magazine “Rosh 1.” He went on to create and develop the health desk for the “Walla” web portal, Israel’s largest website back then, over a four year period.

He also wrote for several other newspapers, including “The Reuters health agency” in New York. In addition to his current work as ynet’s medical reporter and his publications as a writer, Itay also hosts and narrates television programs at channel 13 TV studios. He has also served as a news anchor for several radio channels broadcasted in Israel over the past four years.

During his career in journalism, Itay has published thousands of articles and medical guides in all fields of medicine. He also regularly covers the Israeli transplantation organization “Adi” in an effort to raise public awareness amongst Israelis. Itay published the book “Doctor, just one question” which went on to become a huge success. He also frequently lectures throughout Israel on a wide range of medical and journalism subjects.

 Itay is also a practicing physician who specializes in Pediatrics and aviation medicine. He is currently pursuing his second residency in Sports medicine at the Tel Aviv University. Itay also frequently volunteers his medical services as the Chief Medical Doctor for many children suffering from cancer in the “Lehoshit Yad” organization, and for an organization called “Or Shalom,” which is dedicated to saving children who are left homeless.

in addition to these itay has a second academic degree in health manaent from Bar Ilan university. He speaks english, hebrew, french, and arabic.

Joshua Shani

Chief Executive
Lockheed Martin Israel

Joshua “Shiki” Shani is Chief Executive of Lockheed Martin Israel, responsible for the establishment of this new entity and all its business activities. Joshua serves as liaison with all key Israeli Ministry of Defense customers and supports all Lockheed Martin business units. His activities include F-35, CH-53K, C-130J and F-16 aircraft programs, aircraft simulators, weapon systems and sensors, missile defense. Joshua is also actively involved in hundreds of millions of dollars worth of industrial cooperation between Lockheed Martin and Israeli industry.

Prior to Lockheed Martin, Joshua was a consultant for several defense companies and in 1991 joined Martin Marietta International Corporation as Vice President, Tactical Requirements. In this capacity he was responsible for the marketing and new business development in Israel, resulting in business alliances with Rafael, Elbit/EL-OP, Israel Aircraft Industries and a number of other leading defense companies.

Joshua began his military career in March 1965, when he graduated as a pilot from the Israel Air Force Academy. During this period, he commanded three squadrons and aflying wing, and in 1976, as a C-130 squadron Commander, Joshua flew the lead plane in the Entebbe rescue mission.

In 1982 he attended the USAF Air War College and Auburn University in the United States. He graduated from both institutions in 1983 and returned to Israel Air Force Headquarters. In 1985, Joshua was appointed Air Force Attaché at the Embassy of Israel in Washington D.C and following that he received the rank of Brigadier General. Joshua served more than 30 years in the Israel Air Force and acquired 13,000 flying hours, retiring with the rank of Brigadier General in 1989.

Joshua was born in Russia and immigrated to Israel in 1947. He also holds a degree in marketing from the Bar Ilan University School of Business in Israel.

He is married to Orna; they have four children and eleven grandchildren.

Kobi Zussman

Country Manager Israel
IATA

Kobi  Zussman joined IATA ,The International Air Transport Association in 2007.

IATA is a global trade association for airlines, founded in 1945. It represents approximately 330 airlines (including all Israeli Airlines), accounting for about 82% of global air traffic. IATA’s mission includes promoting safe, secure, and efficient air travel by establishing industry standards, advocating for airline interests, and enhancing passenger convenience.

Prior to joining IATA , Mr.Zussman worked for  the Israeli Ministry of Defense, as well as holding several leadership positions at EL AL in Marketing, Passenger Business, and Maintenance, serving as Vice President at Laromme Hotel Chain & Shlomo Sixt Car Leasing  , and as Country Director for Cyprus Airways. Kobi holds a bachelor’s in international business     and an MBA in Finance.

He has a strong background in leadership, strategy, management operations, industry affairs, and business development. Zussman is skilled in negotiation, budgeting, business planning, operations management, and international business.

Liebermann Nicky

Medical Director

Medical Director – MOR health Institute
Past Health Policy Consultant – Community, Clalit (up to 31/5/24)
Past-Head, Community Health Policy Division, Clalit
Past-Head, Community Medicine Division, Clalit Health Services
Lecturer. Medical Management in Community settings, Israel Academic College, Ramat Gan
Past-President, ISPOR–Israel (International Society for Pharmaco-economics and outcomes research).
Past-Chair-ISPOR Asia Consortium Health Service Providers (Clinicians) Committee
Medical Director – LAVAA
Specialist in Internal Medicine.
In the past, deputy director of a large regional general hospital (Meir Hosp), and later Medical Director of the
Sharon-Shomron District in Clalit Medical Services. Clalit being the largest HMO in Israel. Held this position
1993 – 1998, and introduced risk management, quality assurance, and disease management in the district.
1998-2018 – Head of the Community Medicine Division.
Since 2018 – community division consultant in Health Policy
Since 2021 – Medical Director – MOR health institute
Since 1999 – active participation in the national basket committee – most as nominated member and part as
member of Clalit preparatory team.
Achievements – co leader of the team of telemedicine in Clalit that made Clalit leader in telemed in the world
and made possible medical services and homecare during the COVID pandemics.
Co-developer of Clalit Renal Failure Prevention program – both primary prev. and sec. the program lowered
the number of dialysis new patients.
Fields of interest – personalized medicine (especially in oncology and immunology), Diabetes & Gestational Diabetes
management, perinatology, cardiology, pharmacoeconomics, and in general, creating and implementing heath
programs in the community.
Lecturer in Medical management in the community – Israeli Academic College – Ramat Gan
Publications (81) in the field of disease management, Diabetes, Personalized med. (oncology), perinatology &
pharmacoeconomy, etc (more than 1200 citations).
LAVAA – a startup company creating AI algorithms for medical risk prediction and medical management of defined
patient groups, now performing in the US and Israel.

Oren Eshet

VP, General Manager Flight test center and Flight operation IAI

Reserve Test & fighter pilot in the IAF.
 42 years of flying and 28 years of test flights of all categories of aircrafts.

Oz Berlowitz

ARKIA CEO

Oz Berlowitz Joined Arkia as a flight attendant 26 years ago.
Arkia airlines was founded in 1949 and operates domestic and international flights.
During his years in the company, he held several positions, including stations
manager, VP of operations, deputy to the CEO, CEO of Arkia International, and now
CEO of Arkia Group.
Graduated with an MBA from Bar Ilan University.
He has a strong background and record in management, operations, strategy and more

Ron Genat

Partner & Head of Aviation Dept. at Firon Law Firm

Mr. Genat, a partner in the firm’s commercial law practice, specializes in representing
major companies across operations, including contracts, compliance, and regulatory
matters. He has served as in-house counsel for one of Israel’s leading defense
contractors.
Renowned in aviation law, he has advised the Israel Airline Pilots Association for
over a decade and contributed to drafting Israel’s Aviation Law (2011). His expertise
spans commercial, corporate, real estate, financing, and labor law.

Shmuel Kuzi

General Manager of the Aviation Group IAI

Shmuel Kuzi has had a long and impressive career in aviation.  Following retirement as a colonel from the Israeli Air Force, where he managed the Air Maintenance Unit 22, IAF main maintenance organization.
he served as Vice President Maintenance and Engineering and Vice President North and Central America at El Al, Israel’s flagship airline. After El Al, he established and managed an independent MRO in Cyprus, Bird Aviation.
Kuzi joined IAI in 2018 to lead it’s Bedek MRO Division, consolidating the engine maintenance, component maintenance and line maintenance businesses into a single business unit as part of the founding of the Aviation Group in 2019. He became General Manager of the Aviation Group in November 2021 and has led the Group to three straight years of profits after years of losses.

Uri Sirkis

CEO of Israir Airlines

Uri Sirkis is an accomplished leader with extensive experience in the aviation and tourism industries. Born and raised in Jerusalem, he holds a degree in Industrial Engineering and Management and served in the IDF 8200 intelligence unit.

He began his career as Company Secretary and VP of Commercial at EL-AL, where he was recognized by Business Traveler in 2000 as one of the future leaders of the airline industry. He later served as Vice President at DHL Global Forwarding in Israel for seven years.

In 2011, Uri joined the IDB Group and, in 2014, became CEO of IDB Tourism Group and Israir Airlines. Under his leadership, he successfully transformed Israir into a profitable low-cost carrier, achieving a 33% growth in traffic in 2017 and positioning it among the top five airlines at Tel Aviv International Airport. In 2018, Globes recognized Israir as the number one travel and tourism agency in Israel.

His strategic vision, leadership, and commitment to excellence have earned him a distinguished reputation in the industry.

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