Doron Avital

Dr. Doron Avital has a celebrated military history from the time he commanded a leading paratroopers company in the Lebanon war of 1982, to the planning and commanding of numerous complex special operations in Israel elite Special Forces unit, Sayeeret Matckal -also known as "The Unit" - all the way to holding the position of chief-commanding-officer of "The Unit" in the early 1990s. His tenure as a commander is registered as one of the most complex and shaping chapters in the history of the unit. During his service Doron Avital received numerous IDF military and special operations awards. He is considered a commander and a thinker who shaped an overall philosophy and strategy of planning, execution and command - if in the battlefield and if in the domain of special and secretive operations - that stands to this day as a leading point of reference to commanders of the IDF and to the classified security establishment of Israel. In many respects, Doron Avital's book, "Logic in Action", carries - alongside his more philosophical and political insights - the main tenets of his philosophy and strategy of action. (In fact, the book emerged out of the - non-classified parts of - notes he prepared for lectures he used to deliver to commanders and officials of Israel celebrated secret service, the Mosad.) 

Completing his tenure as a commander of "The Unit" and equipped with a letter of recommendation from the late prime minister of Israel, Yitzchak Rabin, Doron Avital enrolled in a PhD program with the school of philosophy of Columbia University in the City of New York, where after a few years he completed his Doctoral thesis in Logic and Philosophy. He was awarded Columbia University’s Presidential Fellowship for the years 1995-2001 and taught there classes in advanced logic and analytic philosophy. Dr Avital holds in addition a BSc in Mathematics and Computer Science (1985) as well as MA (Summa Cum Laude) from the Cohen Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and Ideas (1996), both from Tel Aviv University. 

Upon returning to Israel, Dr. Avital headed the Georges Leven High-Tech Management School at Tel Aviv University, and later established and directed the BRM Institute of technology and society at the Faculty of Management. In the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Dr Avital held the prestigious post of the Director-General of the Jewish National and University Library. Alongside his academic pursuit, Dr Avital served as a consultant and venture partner to one of Israel's leading venture capital firms, Evergreen Venture Partners. 

In the domain of Home Land Security, Dr Avital implemented his military anti-terror background and experience with security and risk management, in advising some of Israel's top HLS firms, consulting in a wide array of large scale security projects, from design of overall security strategy and planning, to design of security standards – and all the way to hands-on questions of practical implementation. Some of the Key positions held: Chief-Strategic-Officer, Logic Industries Ltd; Advising and auditing comprehensive strategic plan and implementation of a state-scale security infrastructure and method of operation. MerGroup, Mer systems and Athena: Special Strategic adviser to chairman of the group and board member; also advising on technology, data engines, risk management and monitoring.

With the 2009 elections, Dr Avital moved into politics, and served on behalf the Kadima party as MP in the 18th Knesset, Israel parliament. Dr Avital served on the foreign and security committee as well as the constitution committee; headed the Israel-Czech parliamentary friendship association and led the parliamentary Knesset delegation to the Council of Europe.

Advisory Board Member & Business Development in Francophone Africa.  

Ambassador Lancry, a renowned Israeli academic, businessman and statesman with roots in Morocco, has served as a Business Development Consultant to the Vital Capital Fund and as a Member of its Advisory Board since 2010.

Ambassador Lancry immigrated to Israel as a teenager from Morocco and began a life of public service at a young age. From 1983-1992, he served as Mayor of the City of Shlomi, and from 1992-1995 as Israel’s Ambassador to France. From 1996-1999 he was a member of the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, where he also served as the Vice Speaker. From 1999-2002, Ambassador Lancry was Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, and from 2003-2010 he was a delegate for International Relations at the Alliance Israelite Universelle. From 2005-2009, Ambassador Lancry served as a Board Member of the Israel Airports Authority, and from 2008-2011 as Chairman of the Board for Israel’s Channel 2.

Ambassador Lancry completed his B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. in French Literature at Nice University. He has written three books and numerous articles on both political and academic subjects. He received the French Legion of Honor award by decree of France’s President Jacques Chirac, and was declared an Officer of Morocco’s Order of the Throne by His Majesty Mohammed VI.