EL AL President and CEO Discusses Professional Journey, Israel鈥檚 Business Landscape at TAMID鈥檚 Inaugural Event
鈥淎fter leading EL AL for a year and a half, I can tell you that it is a very complicated company,鈥 said Elyezer Shkedy, president and CEO of EL AL Israel Airlines, who discussed Israel鈥檚 business climate, as well as his own professional journey, with 黑料社 All students on Wednesday, September 14. The lecture was hosted by TAMID, a student-run organization that connects American business students with the Israeli economic landscape.
鈥淚srael is one of the world leaders in technology and innovation,鈥 said Michael Strauss, associate director of student advising and administration and clinical professor of management at YU鈥檚 . 鈥淚t is incumbent for our students to connect with Israeli companies and gain a better understanding of their inner workings.鈥
Shkedy joined EL AL in January 2010 after a distinguished career of 33 years in the Israeli Air Force, earning the rank of major general. He served as commander of the Air Force from 2004 to2008 and, prior to that, was its chief of staff from 2002 to 2004.
Shkedy spoke about his transition from being a commander in Israel鈥檚 air force to CEO of EL AL and the surprising similarities the two positions hold. 鈥淭he main issues are the same: you have to define goals and missions, be an expert in operations, and you have to lead people,鈥 he said.
As CEO of EL AL, Shkedy faces many unique challenges and must make complicated decisions. 鈥淚t鈥檚 financially difficult not to fly on Shabbat and to make sure that every single Jew feels comfortable to eat,鈥 he said. 鈥淎nd although I鈥檓 not a religious Jew, I find it important to maintain these values and to always relate to our clients. I want every person to enter the airplane and to feel at home. We are, after all, the civilian wings of Israel and the Jewish nation.鈥
Joining Shkedy were approximately 25 EL AL employees, as well as Gil Lainer, the Israeli consul for media and public affairs for the Israel consulate general. They had all come with Shkedy because this was not only the inaugural event of TAMID鈥檚 YU chapter but was also the launching of a new initiative headed by Alon Futterman, the director of EL AL鈥檚 Advocacy Initiative for Israel (which Shkedy created) called Blue and White EL AL Ambassadors.
According to Futterman, this program will send out EL AL pilots and crew members to serve as Israeli ambassadors. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e all volunteers who want to talk about the Israel of 2011. They all come from different backgrounds, and each one has a personal story to share,鈥 said Futterman. 鈥淭hey feel that people are missing a different perspective of Israel鈥攐ne that they鈥檙e not getting from the news. This is a people to people initiative and we鈥檙e very excited about it.鈥
The Ambassadors project is being sponsored by the Jewish Agency, the Stand With Us advocacy organization and the Israeli Foreign Ministry.
After spearheading a similar event for Israeli high school students for Israel鈥檚 60th birthday, Shkedy knew he wanted to create a new program for Jewish communities outside of Israel. 鈥淭he Jewish nation is a very complicated nation. Kirvu L鈥檝avot鈥攚orking together and hearing each other鈥攊s one of the most important things we can do. It鈥檚 our big mission and it鈥檚 what we hope to accomplish with events like tonight,鈥 said Shkedy.
鈥淓L AL is a prime example of a company that takes care of the community as a whole,鈥 said Tzvi Solomon, the event organizer and director of TAMID鈥檚 YU chapter. 鈥淚 was interested in inviting someone who understood the importance of not only running a fine business but who understood the importance of where he comes from.鈥
According to Futterman, this program will send out EL AL pilots and crew members to serve as Israeli ambassadors. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e all volunteers who want to talk about the Israel of 2011. They all come from different backgrounds, and each one has a personal story to share,鈥 said Futterman. 鈥淭hey feel that people are missing a different perspective of Israel鈥攐ne that they鈥檙e not getting from the news. This is a people to people initiative and we鈥檙e very excited about it.鈥
The Ambassadors project is being sponsored by the Jewish Agency, the Stand With Us advocacy organization and the Israeli Foreign Ministry.
After spearheading a similar event for Israeli high school students for Israel鈥檚 60th birthday, Shkedy knew he wanted to create a new program for Jewish communities outside of Israel. 鈥淭he Jewish nation is a very complicated nation. Kirvu L鈥檝avot鈥攚orking together and hearing each other鈥攊s one of the most important things we can do. It鈥檚 our big mission and it鈥檚 what we hope to accomplish with events like tonight,鈥 said Shkedy.
鈥淓L AL is a prime example of a company that takes care of the community as a whole,鈥 said Tzvi Solomon, the event organizer and director of TAMID鈥檚 YU chapter. 鈥淚 was interested in inviting someone who understood the importance of not only running a fine business but who understood the importance of where he comes from.鈥
According to Futterman, this program will send out EL AL pilots and crew members to serve as Israeli ambassadors. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e all volunteers who want to talk about the Israel of 2011. They all come from different backgrounds, and each one has a personal story to share,鈥 said Futterman. 鈥淭hey feel that people are missing a different perspective of Israel鈥攐ne that they鈥檙e not getting from the news. This is a people to people initiative and we鈥檙e very excited about it.鈥
The Ambassadors project is being sponsored by the Jewish Agency, the Stand With Us advocacy organization and the Israeli Foreign Ministry.
After spearheading a similar event for Israeli high school students for Israel鈥檚 60th birthday, Shkedy knew he wanted to create a new program for Jewish communities outside of Israel. 鈥淭he Jewish nation is a very complicated nation. Kirvu L鈥檝avot鈥攚orking together and hearing each other鈥攊s one of the most important things we can do. It鈥檚 our big mission and it鈥檚 what we hope to accomplish with events like tonight,鈥 said Shkedy.
鈥淓L AL is a prime example of a company that takes care of the community as a whole,鈥 said Tzvi Solomon, the event organizer and director of TAMID鈥檚 YU chapter. 鈥淚 was interested in inviting someone who understood the importance of not only running a fine business but who understood the importance of where he comes from.鈥
