Yair Cohen (Brig. General)
Former commander of Unit 8200 and founder of Elbit Systems' cyber division
| Yair Cohen
| |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Israeli |
| Occupation | Former intelligence officer; defence and technology executive |
| Known for | Commander of Unit 8200 (2001–2005); head of Elbit Systems' cyber division |
| Education | BA Jewish History and Arabic, Bar-Ilan University; MA, Industrial College of the Armed Forces (National Defense University), Washington DC |
- Not to be confused with Yair Cohen (Sentra), who was also in Unit 8200.
Yair Cohen is an Israeli retired brigadier general who commanded Unit 8200, the signals intelligence unit of the IDF, from 2001 to 2005, at the end of more than three decades in the unit.[1][2] After retiring he worked in Israeli technology and defence companies, setting up and leading the cyber division of Elbit Systems from 2009 to 2015. In 2017 he became a director of the interception company Ability Inc.[3]
Unit 8200
Forbes reported in 2016 that Cohen "served 33 years in 8200—the last five (from 2001–05) as its commander". He told the magazine: "90 percent of the intelligence material in Israel is coming from 8200 ... There isn't a major operation, from the Mossad or any intelligence security agency, that 8200 is not involved in."[1] Ability Inc's 2018 SEC filing describes him as having 32 years of military service, ending as head of "the IDF's Cyber and Sigint Intelligence unit (8200)", and gives 2005 as the year he retired.[3]
Business career
According to the same filing, Cohen was vice-president of Elron Electronic Industries from 2005 to 2009 and chairman of ECtel from 2006 to 2009.[4] From 2009 to 2015 he "established and was the first CEO of the Cyber Division in Elbit Systems". From 2015 to 2016 he was CEO of the investment fund PeriTech. He has also been a director of Electra Consumer Products and Infinity Funds.[3] Israel Defense interviewed him in 2015 as head of Elbit Systems' cyber operation.[5]
Ability Inc, which sells cellular interception and geolocation systems to security and law-enforcement agencies, appointed him to its board on 24 July 2017. Former Mossad deputy director Naftali Granot had joined the board earlier that month.[3]
Herzliya Conference
Cohen spoke at the 2007 Herzliya Conference in a 21 January session on "Challenges for Next Generation’s Leaders".[6]
See also
- Unit 8200
- Ability Inc
- Elbit Systems
- Naftali Granot
- Cyber and tech firms founded by ex Unit 8200 or occupation forces veterans
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Richard Behar, Inside Israel's secret startup machine Forbes India (from Forbes), 17 June 2016.
- ↑ Gil Kerbs, The Unit, Forbes, 8 February 2007.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Ability Inc., Form F-1 registration statement US Securities and Exchange Commission, 20 November 2018.
- ↑ Yair Cohen profile, Forbes.com, accessed 4 August 2009.
- ↑ Amir Rapaport, "Cyber Blurs the Lines between Routine and Emergency" Israel Defense, 20 February 2015.
- ↑ Conference Program, Herzliya Conference site, accessed 4 August 2009.