Executive Management Team

Ness Executive Management, titles and biographical information.

Aharon Fogel
Chairman of the Board
Aharon Fogel has served as a member of our board and its chairman since 1999. Since December 2000, he has served as the chairman of the board of Migdal Insurance Company Ltd., Israel’s largest insurance company. Mr. Fogel served as general partner of Jerusalem Venture Partners, an Israeli venture capital fund, from 1996 to 1999. Mr. Fogel has held a number of senior positions, including Director General of the Israel Ministry of Finance, Chairman of Leumi & Co. Investment Bank, Chairman of the Hadassah Medical Center, and Director of the Economic & Control Division of Clal Israel Ltd. He holds a B.A. in Economics and Statistics from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Sachi Gerlitz
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
Sachi Gerlitz has served as our president and chief executive officer since March 2007, and as a member of our board since February 2007. Prior to joining Ness, Mr. Gerlitz served as acting chairman of Mobixell Networks and chairman of the board of the Israel Mobile Association. From 2001 through 2006, Mr. Gerlitz was a partner at Apax Partners, a large, global private equity firm managing assets of over $25 billion, where he focused on leveraged transactions and technology investments. He also served on the boards of a number of public and private companies, such as Bezeq, Starhome BV, Crescendo Networks and Bitband Technologies. Prior to joining Apax Partners, Mr. Gerlitz served for 10 years at Comverse Technologies, through 2000, including as president of the Asia Pacific division, vice president of business development and marketing, chief technology officer, and executive vice president. Before joining Comverse, he served in various roles at Telrad Telecommunication Industries, Hadassah University Hospital, and the Israeli Defense Force. Mr. Gerlitz is a director of Leadcom Integrated Solutions, a publicly-traded Israeli company which provides services and solutions to fixed, mobile and transmission network operators. Mr. Gerlitz received a B.Sc. in Electronic Engineering from Tel-Aviv University in 1978, and is a graduate of the Business Administration Program for Industry Management at Bar-Ilan University.

Ofer Segev
Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President
Ofer Segev has served as our executive vice president and chief financial officer since April 2007, after joining Ness in March 2007 as an executive vice president. From June 2003 to March 2007, he served as chief financial officer of Attunity, a provider of service-oriented software and solutions in the workplace applications market. From May 2001 to June 2003, Mr. Segev was the chief financial officer of TeleKnowledge Group Ltd., a content commerce platform vendor, and he also served as its chief executive officer from January 2002 to June 2003. From May 2000 to May 2001, he served as chief financial officer of Tundo, a developer of an IP-based voice and media services platform. From 1985 through May 2000, Mr. Segev served at Kost Forer Gabbay & Kasierer, a member of Ernst & Young Global, where from 1991 he was a partner and led the high-tech industry practice group, participated in over 20 public offerings in the United States, and, from 1997 to 2000, was a member of the technology steering committee of Ernst & Young International. Mr. Segev holds a B.A. in economics and accounting from Bar-Ilan University in Israel, and has studied at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Ivan Hruška
President, Ness Europe
Ivan Hruška has served as president of Ness Europe since April 2004. From September 2002 to March 2004, he served as managing director of Ness CEE. From May 2000 to September 2002, he served at Ness CEE (formerly APP prior to our acquiring it in 2002) as vice president for sales and marketing. From September 1997 to March 2000, Mr. Hruška served at Scala Business Solutions as vice president for sales in Central and Eastern Europe. Mr. Hruška holds a M.Eng. in Civil Engineering from the Technical University of Kosice, Slovakia.

Effi Kotek
President, Ness Israel
Effi Kotek has served as president of Ness Israel since September 2008. From January 2008 to August 2008, Mr. Kotek served as deputy president of Ness Israel. From November 2005 to December 2007, he served as senior vice president and managing director of Ness Israel’s Outsourcing Group. From November 2002 to October 2005, Mr. Kotek was senior vice president and managing director of Ness Israel’s Infrastructure and Technology Group. From January 2000 through September 2002, he served as vice president of business development for Ness Israel’s Integration and Networking Group. From January 1999 to December 1999, Mr. Kotek was vice president of sales and marketing for Gilad Software and Systems Integration, a privately-held Israeli integration and networking company, which was acquired by Ness in April 1999. From 1995 to 1998, he was president of Applitech Inc., a privately-held medical technology company. From 1980 to 1995, Mr. Kotek held various positions with leading technology companies, including Bynet Data Communications and Orbotech Inc., and was an officer in the Israeli Defense Forces communication forces. Mr. Kotek is a certified computer systems analyst and holds a bachelors degree in mathematics, with specialization in computer architecture and technology, from Concordia University in Montreal, Canada.

Holly Ripley-Boyd
President, Ness Software Product Labs
Holly Ripley-Boyd has served as president of Ness Software Product Labs since February 2008 and as our chief marketing officer and executive vice president since December 2007. From July 2008 through January 2009, she served as acting president, Ness North America. From October 2004 through October 2007, she served as chief marketing officer at Symphony Services, a provider of offshore software product development services and end-to-end IT solutions. From October 2002 through February 2004, Ms. Ripley-Boyd was a principal at Mii Technologies, a closely held manufacturing systems company, where she was responsible for business development, marketing and other market-facing initiatives. From September 1999 through June 2002, she served as vice president, global marketing, at Novell affiliate Celerant Consulting, an operational strategy and execution consulting services firm. From 1991 to 1999, Ms. Ripley-Boyd served in several roles at Arthur D. Little, culminating in the role of vice president of marketing. From 1985 to 1990, she served as director of marketing for Fairfield Whitney, a regional search firm. From 1983 through 1985, she worked as a purchasing associate at Digital Equipment Corporation. Ms. Ripley-Boyd holds a B.S. in business and organizational communication from Emerson College, and has studied marketing strategy at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.

Larry Scott
President, Ness Global Industries
Larry Scott has served as president of Ness Global Industries since September 2008. From July 2006 to July 2008, Mr. Scott served as vice president of global financial services sales for Sun Microsystems, an enterprise network computing infrastructure product and solutions provider. From August 2003 to June 2006, he served as vice president, business integration software for Sun Microsystems. From November 2000 to July 2003, Mr. Scott was vice president and general manager of Mimecom Corporation, a privately-held provider of application and infrastructure management services for e-businesses. From 1997 through October 2000, he was vice president at Cambridge Technology Partners, a provider of management consulting and systems integration services, where he directed the global financial services practice. From 1982 through 1997, Mr. Scott held various leadership positions with technology, consulting and financial industry companies such as CSC Consulting, Fidelity Investments, EJV Partners, Thomson Financial, SEI Corporation and First National Bank of Boston. Mr. Scott holds a degree in economics and political science from Dickinson College.

Michael Zinderman
President, Technologies & Systems Group
Michael Zinderman has served as president of Technologies and Systems Group since April 2002. From April 2000 to April 2002, Mr. Zinderman served as the division manager and vice president of Ness Telecom & Systems Group, and from June 1988 to March 2002, he served as the division manager and vice president of Real Time & Systems Group of ATL, an entity Ness acquired in 1999. From May 1981 to May 1988, Mr. Zinderman served as software engineer and projects manager at ATL. From September 1977 to April 1981, Mr. Zinderman served as an electrical engineer at Yona Ushpiz, an electrical engines manufacturing company. Mr. Zinderman holds a B.Sc. in Electronic Engineering from Ben Gurion University, Israel.

Satyajit Bandyopadhyay
President and Managing Director, Ness India
Satyajit Bandyopadhyay has served as president and managing director of Ness India since January 2009. From January 2007 to December 2008, he was senior vice president and head of the consulting and practices business unit in Ness North America. From March 2003 to December 2006, Mr. Bandyopadhyay served as chief delivery officer of Ness India. From April 2000 to February 2003, he served as general manager – GE and Europe of Mascot Systems Ltd. (now iGate Corporation), an IT services provider. From June 1999 to March 2000, Mr. Bandyopadhyay was a regional manager at Hewlett Packard, an IT products & solutions company. From January 1997 to May 1999, he served as regional manager – US Solutions of Mastech Corporation, an IT services provider. From March 1995 to December 1996, Mr. Bandyopadhyay served as a technical manager at Wipro Systems Ltd., an Indian IT services company. From October 1987 to February 1995, he served as manager, IT services of Tata Steel Ltd., a leading steel producer in India; and from July 1984 to September 1987, he served as a systems engineer at HMT Ltd (India), a leading watch manufacturing company. Mr. Bandyopadhyay holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Calcutta University in India and a Master’s Degree in Industrial Engineering from the National Institute of Industrial Engineering in Mumbai, India.

Dov Nardimon
Senior Vice President, Transition
Dov Nardimon has served as senior vice president of transition since June 2008. In the past 10 years, Mr. Nardimon acted through "Nofet", a consulting firm owned by Mr. Nardimon specializing in coaching hi-tech companies, leading transition processes and international business development. He was also a senior consultant for the Israel Ministry of Industry and Commerce and director and chairman of public and private corporations. During 2007 he led transition projects in French and German subsidiaries of an Israeli public company. During the years 1996-2007, Mr. Nardimon acted as executive chairman of several mid size public and private companies including several hi-tech start–ups. During 2000-2002, Mr. Nardimon served as CEO of W&S Israel, a Dutch transition and interim management company, specializing in crisis and restructuring consultancy. In 1995 Mr. Nardimon led as a CEO the re-opening of the Israeli shipyards following a privatization process. During the years 1989-1991 Mr. Nardimon acted as vice president of marketing of Volta Carmiel in the United States and eventually became global marketing manager of the company. Prior to that, Mr. Nardimon held director, president and CEO positions with leading public corporations such as Tadiran, Elscint, Urdan and Clal industries. Mr. Nardimon holds a B.Sc. degree in Industrial & Management Engineering from Ben-Gurion University and has studied Economics and Middle Eastern History in Tel-Aviv University.

Shachar Efal
President, Global Partners and Centers of Excellence
and President, NessPRO
Shachar Efal has served as president of our Global Partners and Centers Of Excellence group since September 2008, and as president of NessPRO since January 2009. From November 2005 to August 2008, Mr. Efal served as president of Ness Israel. From January 2004 to November 2005, he was president of Managed Services at Ness Israel. From November 1999 to December 2003, Mr. Efal served as president of our Integration and Networking Group. From January 1999 to November 1999, Mr. Efal served as chief executive officer of IPEX ICS, an integration and systems company, and from January 1994 to December 1998, he served as chief executive officer and co-founder of New-X Systems, a networking and systems services company. We acquired IPEX and New-X Systems in November 1999. From January 1993 to December 1993, Mr. Efal served as a consultant of Tefen Consultants, an industrial engineering and information technology consulting firm. Mr. Efal holds a B.Sc. in Management and Industrial Engineering, specializing in Information Systems and Communication Technology, from Ben Gurion University, Israel.

Atzmon Lifshitz
Executive Vice President, Human Resources
Atzmon Lifshitz has served as our executive vice president of human resources since May 2008. From September 2004 to May 2008, Mr. Lifshitz served as corporate vice president of human resources at ECI Telecom Ltd., a global provider of telecommunications infrastructure. From August 2002 to June 2004, he served as managing director of Pilat Israel Ltd., a professional human resources company in Israel. From January 2000 to July 2002, Mr. Lifshitz served as chief operating officer of e-go systems plc., a high-technology company in the United Kingdom that developed services and systems in the field of unified communications services. From 1993 to January 2000, he served as managing director of Telemesser Ltd., an Israeli company in the field of interactive marketing through communications tools. From 1987 to 1993, Mr. Lifshitz served as deputy managing director and vice president of human resources at Fibronics Ltd., a multinational company specializing in data communications. From 1974 to 1987, Mr. Lifshitz served in various roles at the Israeli Prime Minister’s office, the Israeli General Federation of Labor, Bank Leumi Insurance Group, Degem Systems Ltd. and Elscint Ltd. Mr. Lifshitz holds a bachelors degree in political science and labor studies from Tel Aviv University.

Ilan Rotem
Chief Legal Officer and Secretary
Ilan Rotem has been with Ness since its establishment, and since 2000 has been working at the company as legal adviser. In 2004, he was appointed the company’s secretary and general counsel. Before joining Ness, Mr. Rotem was a partner in the firm of Ephraim Abramson & Co., specializing in communications, securities and corporate law. Mr. Rotem has been a member of the Israel Bar Association since 1992, and was admitted to the New York Bar in 2006. He received his LLB (with honors) from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 1990, and an LLM from Cambridge University in 1991.

Drew Wright
Senior Vice President, Financial Operations and Investor Relations
Drew Wright has served as senior vice president, financial operations and investor relations since January 2006. From September 2003 through December 2005, he served as senior vice president, global resources. From October 2001 through August 2003, Mr. Wright served as chief operating officer of our Ness USA subsidiary. From 1997 through October 2001, he served as chief operating officer of Blueflame, Inc., an IT services firm acquired by Ness Technologies in October 2001. From 1990 through 1997, Mr. Wright served as Blueflame’s vice president of operations. Before joining Blueflame in 1990, Mr. Wright held several management positions in the IT organization at Pfizer Pharmaceuticals. Prior to 1987, Mr. Wright served in several positions at Exxon Research and Engineering, and was head of its Advanced Technologies Group. From 1978 to 1981, Mr. Wright worked as a senior engineer at Singer-Kearfott. Mr. Wright holds a B.S. in Engineering Physics, with distinction, from Cornell University.

Business Development Team