INBAL KREISS

Inbal is currently Head of Innovation at the Systems, Missiles and Space Division of the Israeli Aerospace Industries Ltd. (IAI) and Chairwoman of RAKIA, Israel’s 2nd Scientific and Technological Mission to the International Space Station. Since 2013, she has been Deputy Director of the Space Division at IAI, leading the development, construction, launch and operation of observation and communication satellites for both Israeli and foreign users. She led the IAI team responsible for the design and build of Israel’s first lunar lander, Beresheet that held the country spellbound on its inspirational voyage to the moon in April 2019. Throughout her career she has held leadership positions within IAI, including chief engineer of Israel’s Arrow 2 anti- ballistic missile defense system (2000-2006) and project manager of the Arrow 3 exo-atmospheric interceptor (2007-2013). Her leadership in Defense Development & Innovation has contributed significantly to Israel’s deterrence abilities, and capacity to respond to evolving security challenges.

Born in Israel, the eldest daughter to Raya and Amnon Biran, Inbal received her Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering with honors from the Technion, the Israeli Institute of Technology, Haifa (1988). She went on to receive an Executive Master in Business Administration (E.M.B.A) with honors from Tel Aviv University (1996), and completed a visiting research fellowship at the Aeronautics & Astronautics Department, of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, US (2006-7). Inbal is married to Yitshak, they have 3 children and live in Shoham, Israel.