AMIT, the alumni association of Unit 81 - the elite technological arm of the IDF Intelligence Corps - has appointed Gali Sheskin as its new chief executive officer. She takes over from Chen Kamin, who led the organization for the past five years and oversaw its growth into one of Israel's most influential technology networks.
Sheskin arrives with a background that spans community building, operations, and entrepreneurship support rather than a conventional military-tech pedigree. She most recently served as Community and Customer Success Manager at Venn, following a role as Project Development Manager at Ignite the Spark and Head of Operations at enSights. Alongside her professional career, she has spent years volunteering in renewable energy and climate initiatives, working to promote entrepreneurs - both men and women - in that sector on domestic and international stages. That mix of operational discipline and community organizing is precisely the skill set AMIT says it needs as it manages a sprawling, globally connected alumni base; for context on how fragmented digital infrastructure and regional restrictions can complicate international collaboration, discussions around why some VPNs stop working in the UAE illustrate the kind of connectivity hurdles that cross-border tech communities increasingly have to navigate. why some VPNs stop working in the UAE
Why Unit 81's Network Matters
Unit 81 has a disproportionate footprint in Israel's technology sector. Its alumni have founded or hold senior roles in hundreds of startups and growth-stage companies, including firms that have reached unicorn status or completed large-scale exits. Names associated with the unit's alumni network include Wiz, Armis, Innoviz, Claroty, Tenzai, and Jazz - companies spanning cybersecurity, automotive sensing, and industrial technology. AMIT functions as the connective tissue for this community, organizing initiatives that link former service members with entrepreneurial opportunities, mentorship, and capital.
A Leadership Transition With Strategic Stakes
Kamin's five-year tenure coincided with a period of rapid expansion for Israel's tech ecosystem, and AMIT's role as a talent and networking hub grew alongside it. Handing leadership to Sheskin signals an intent to deepen the association's community-oriented programming rather than simply ride the momentum of its members' individual successes.
"I believe that the true strength of a technological community is measured by its ability to connect people, entrepreneurship, and real impact," Sheskin said. "AMIT has exceptional human capital, and I am proud to lead the association alongside the board members and the community, to continue developing initiatives, strengthening business and technological connections, and generating significant value for the entire ecosystem."
What Comes Next
The appointment places someone with a nontraditional résumé at the helm of a network built on elite military-technology credentials - a choice that may reflect AMIT's ambition to broaden its relevance beyond pure engineering circles into entrepreneurship, sustainability, and cross-sector partnerships. How Sheskin balances those priorities against the expectations of a membership base accustomed to high-profile exits and unicorn valuations will shape the association's direction in the years ahead.