Achiav Golan

Professional Experience

General Manager, 2016-Present – BRAUDE COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

• Chairman of the college’s Ofek Eshkolot Research & Development subsidiary, chairman of the Galilee Accelerator for Smart Industry, and director of the Advanced Manufacturing Institute, having led the project after winning the Ministry of Economy tender.
• Manager of 500 academic and administrative staff, as well as some 3,000 students.
• Responsible for labor relations (4 unions), collective agreements, employee welfare, and liaising with regulators, authorities, and government ministries.
• Leads planning and construction processes.
• Oversees the full range of college operations, including budgetary, financial, and legal matters, human resources, logistics, marketing, information systems, and special projects, including the library, Science-Oriented Youth Center, laboratories, and research.

Director & Co-Founder, 2010-2016 – INTERDISCIPLINARY NATIONAL PROJECT

• Cooperative venture between the Ministry of Defense and the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities.

Science & Technology Coordinator, 2014-2015 – SAMUEL NEAMAN INSTITUTE

• Participation in the “Grand Strategy for the State of Israel” forum.

Founder & CEO, 2007-2016 – GYMBOX, LTD.

• A family-oriented company that developed, produced, and manufactured a children’s product.
• Key responsibilities included product development, intellectual property, manufacturing, sales and marketing, and establishing international partnerships.

Business Development Specialist & Consultant, 2005-2010 – DEFENSE INDUSTRY

• Assessment of civilian technologies for defense applications, including advising on project investment, marketing, and advancement.
• The role involved representing Israeli and international defense contractors, supplying project support alongside marketing and business development activities.

Military Service, 1980-2005 – ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES

Head of the Planning & Budgeting Division (Col.), 2001-2005 – Ministry of Defense Directorate of Defense R&D

• Led management and planning processes for the budget and resources of the R&D, procurement, HR, and IT programs, involving a budget in the billions of shekels.
• Involved in outlining future R&D directions and designing long-term plans for the IDF and defense industry.
• Retired with the rank of colonel and later served in the reserves, 2006-2014.

Head of the Planning, Budgeting & Control Branch (Lt. Col.), 1997-2000 – Ministry of Defense “Central Project” Directorate

• Responsible for planning and managing work plans and budgets (in the hundreds of millions of shekels), including oversight, contracts and negotiations, R&D processes, and IT for the “Central Project,” which won the Israel Defense Prize.
• This involved close coordination between various parties in the IDF, Ministry of Defense, and the defense industry.

Head of the Budgeting Branch (Lt. Col.), 1994-1997 – Israeli Ground Forces HQ

• Managed the work plans and billion-shekel budget for the Ground Forces, including playing a vital role in the HQ’s preparation of multi-year IDF plans with a technological emphasis.

Education

Executive MBA – Tel Aviv University (2001)

M.Sc., Industrial Engineering and Management – Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (1996)

B.Sc., Industrial Engineering and Management – Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (1988)