The story of Eyal Waldman, the founder of Mellanox Technologies, who was drafted into the Israeli army at the age of 63
Eyal Waldman is not your typical tech CEO. He is also a reserve soldier in the Israeli army, who was called up for duty in the recent conflict with Hamas in Gaza. Waldman, who founded and led Mellanox Technologies, a company that develops and manufactures electronic products and components for high-speed communication systems, had to balance his responsibilities as a businessman and a soldier, while managing his company from the battlefront.
Waldman, who was born and raised in Jerusalem, served as a junior officer in the Golani Brigade, an elite infantry unit, in the 1980s. He participated in the 1982 Lebanon War and was discharged from the army with the rank of Major. He then pursued a career in the high-tech field, working at Elbit Systems and Intel, before founding Galileo Technology, a company that developed chips for communications networks, in 1993. He sold Galileo to Marvell Technology for $2.7 billion in 2001, and then founded Mellanox in 1999, with three other partners.
Mellanox: a success story in the Israeli tech scene
Mellanox Technologies was one of the most successful companies in the Israeli tech scene, growing from a startup to a global leader in its field, with over 3,000 employees and offices in 20 countries. The company’s products, which use InfiniBand technologies, are used by data centers, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and supercomputers. Mellanox’s customers include Microsoft, IBM, Alibaba, Facebook, and NASA.
In 2020, Waldman sold Mellanox to NVIDIA, a technology giant that specializes in graphics processing units (GPUs), for over $7 billion, in one of the largest deals in the history of the Israeli tech industry. Waldman remained the CEO and chairman of Mellanox, which became a subsidiary of NVIDIA, and also joined the board of directors of Check Point, another Israeli tech giant that develops cybersecurity solutions.
Waldman’s challenge: leading a tech company from the war zone
In May 2023, Waldman faced an unexpected challenge, when he received a phone call from the Israeli army, informing him that he was drafted as a reserve soldier, as part of the mobilization of thousands of troops in response to the escalation of violence with Hamas in Gaza. Waldman, who was 63 years old at the time, did not hesitate to answer the call, and packed his bags, along with his laptop and his phone, and headed to the south of Israel, where he joined his unit.
Waldman had to juggle his duties as a soldier and a CEO, while staying in touch with his family, his colleagues, and his customers. He told Ctech, a website that covers the Israeli tech industry, that he managed to work remotely from the battlefield, using his laptop and his phone, and relying on his team and his partners. He said that he was able to participate in meetings, make decisions, and oversee the operations of his company, while also fulfilling his role as a soldier. He said that he was proud to serve his country, and that he received support and understanding from his family, his employees, and his customers.
Waldman also said that he was not the only tech executive who was drafted into the army, and that he met many other reserve soldiers who worked in the high-tech sector, and who faced similar challenges. He said that he was impressed by the dedication and professionalism of his fellow soldiers, and that he learned a lot from them. He said that he believed that the experience of serving in the army, and dealing with complex and stressful situations, helped him develop his skills and abilities as a leader and an entrepreneur.
Waldman’s vision: promoting equal opportunities for Palestinians
Waldman is not only a successful businessman and a loyal soldier, but also a visionary and a philanthropist, who is committed to promoting equal opportunities for Palestinians, especially in the high-tech field. Waldman, who is the chairman of Waldo Holdings, a family office that focuses on diversified investments in private and public companies, various funds, real estate and other financial platforms, has invested in several Palestinian startups, and has supported initiatives that aim to foster cooperation and dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians.
Waldman told Ctech that he believed that the high-tech industry could be a bridge for peace and prosperity in the region, and that he hoped to see more collaboration and integration between Israeli and Palestinian entrepreneurs and innovators. He said that he was inspired by the example of Mellanox, which employed hundreds of Palestinian engineers and programmers, who worked alongside their Israeli counterparts, and contributed to the success and growth of the company. He said that he was optimistic about the future of the Palestinian tech scene, and that he was eager to continue to support and mentor Palestinian talent.
