General

• Born in 1966 in Moshav Dishon, Galilee
• Married to Zohar. Father of Maor, Omri and Ziv
• Retired from IDF in 2016 in a rank of Colonel after 32 years of service

Miliatry Service

• Defense Attaché in Germany and Austria, Berlin, 2011-2015
• Head of Combat Doctrine Department, GHQ, IDF, 2009-2011
• Deputy Commander of Gaza Division, IDF, 2005-2008
• Southern Command Training Base Commander, IDF, 2004-2005
• Head of Infantry Brigade “HaNegev", 2002-2004
• Military service in the IDF from 1984 until 2016, most of which in commanding positions in “Duhifat” Unit and “Givati” Brigade. Major positions: Commander of Infantry Battalion “Duhifat”, Commander of Infantry Battalion “Shaked” in “Givati” Brigade, Commander of Training Base of “Givati” Brigade, rich operational experience, commanding and leading operational ground missions in Gaza and Lebanon.
• Currently serving as COL (Ret.) in the IDF – Operation Directorate in Southern Command HQ. In addition, serving in Planning Directorate as a professional advisor to Defense Attachés Course.

Education

• B.A. Political Science, Haifa University, Haifa, 1998
• MBA Business Administration, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan,  2016
• National Defense College, New Delhi, India, 2008
• Brigade Commanders Course, IDF, 2003
• Command and Staff College, IDF, 1997

Decorations

• Second Lebanon War Operation
• Protective Edge

Current Occupation

• Defense and Strategy Advisor, UN SME
• Lectures on Holocaust Commemoration, Israel-Germany Relations, Leadership, etc

Starting August 2018, the Economic and Trade Mission to Romania is led by Ms. Bareket Knafo, The Economic Counselor. In 2019 the mission set a historical world record reaching the highest number of success stories between Israeli and local partners.

Mrs. Knafo has an extensive international economic experience in various geographical areas: as the manager of the Latin America Desk, a special project manager in America (both North and South) and the Middle East and as the manager of the Economic and Trade mission to Canada. Prior to her work at the Foreign Trade Administration, Mrs. Knafo clerked for the Israeli Supreme Court, served as a commercial litigator at leading Tel Aviv law firms and graduated from the Civil Service Cadet Program at the Israeli Prime Minister Office, aimed at training and building an elite management cadre, that will catalyze tangible changes in Israel’s civil service.

Mrs. Knafo holds a Master in Law from Harvard Law School (as a Shapiro Scholar), another Master in Public Policy from the Hebrew University and an L.L.B from Tel Aviv University (as a part of Tel Aviv University Special Program for Outstanding Students, an invitation-only honors program, where she combined expanded coursework at the faculties of Medicine, Music and Foreign Languages).

Before joining the Government, Ruth held executive positions in IBM and the IDF (as Colonel in the 8200 Intelligence unit) and has a rich background in both strategy setting and complex project management in the high-tech domain.

She was recognized as one of the top 50 most influential women in Israel in 2010 by Globes magazine.

Ruth holds a MSc in Operational Research and a BSc in Mathematics from Tel Aviv University.

David Saranga is the Ambassador of Israel to Romania, where he had his first posting as Deputy Chief of Mission between 1997-2000.  Prior to that, he served for four years as Senior Foreign Affairs Advisor to the President of the State of Israel, Reuven (Ruvi) Rivlin, and was the Head of European Parliament Liaison Department at the Israeli delegation to the EU in Brussels (2011-2014).

Ambassador David Saranga also served as Consul for Media and Public Affairs in New York, where he was responsible for Israel’s image in the United States, being the liaison person of Israel to the American media (2005-2009). He also served as Spokesperson for the Embassy of Israel in Madrid, as well as Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem. Ambassador Saranga holds an MBA degree from the Business School within the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Alon Shahak is the Manager of HLS, Cyber & Aerospace Sectors at Israel Export and International Cooperation Institute.

For the past several years, Mr. Shahak has been working to get to know all Israeli companies in the fields above, developed vast global connections and arranged business and investment opportunities and success stories for the Israeli Industry.

Dan accumulated over 20 years of experience in cyber security, risk management in Brussels, Bucharest and internationally. He led professional teams that supported European Institutions, National Competent Authorities and large industry actors in defining and implementing their cyber security policies, strategies, operational and technical measures. Since May 2020 he was appointed as General Director of CERT-RO by decision of the Romanian Prime Minister. He has the exciting mission to lead the effort for transforming this great organization and is committed to contribute with his mandate, will and capabilities for supporting the national strategy and priorities in the cyber security domain.

Currently, Secretary of State for Electronic Communications within the Ministry of Transport, Infrastructure and Communications (MTIC) and Vice-President of PNL sector 1, with over 12 years of experience in central public administration, Dragos C.-L. PREDA also participated as a coordinator in the elaboration of 5 national strategies and numerous other legislative provisions.

At local level, in European countries, as well as in the expert groups at the level of the European Commission, his areas of concern included: international development, public administration reform, security and defense policies, communication, development of smart cities and communities, etc.

He has also been involved in launching tech start-ups.

DP graduated from the École Nationale d'Administration (ENA) as a fellow of the Government of the French Republic, as well as two master's programs from Paris 1 Panthèon-Sorbonne, the University where he also graduated from the bachelor's program.

2017 – Present – Head of IT&C Security Directorate, Special Telecommunications Service

2014 – 2017 – Senior Security Engineer adMarketPlace LLC

2006 – 2014 – Head of Section, Special Telecommunications Service

2001 – 2006 – System Administrator, Special Telecommunications Service

2000 – 2001 – PSTN Engineer, Intrarom S.A

1999 – 2000 –  University Preparatory teacher, Electronics and Telecommunications Faculty

Studies:

Master Degree, Electronics and Telecommunications Faculty, Bucharest, UPB

Bachelor Degree, Electronics and Telecommunications Faculty, Bucharest, UPB

Iulian Alecu, Deputy Director General in CERT-RO, chair of the NIS Cooperation Group during Romanian presidency in EU, over 9 years’ experience in cyber security.

• Head of Israel National CERT at INCD - Prime Minister's Office.
• Prior to his current role, Lavy was the head of FC3 – the Financial Cyber & Continuity Center.
• Lavy spent the majority of his career in the cyber financial sector at FIBI – The First International Bank of Israel and in the financial cyber division at NISA – National Cyber Security Authority.
• Lavy is a senior cybersecurity expert and manager, with vast field experience and deep understanding of the cyber warfare ecosystem at corporate and national levels. On top of cybersecurity field, Lavy is specialized in identification of new emerging FinTech technologies as a mentor at Barclay's accelerator.
• Lavy holds a B.A. in Information Technology and Business Administration from the Inter-Disciplinary Center (IDC) in Herzliya, and is an alumnus of the Cybersecurity Risk Management program of Harvard University.