Technion Alumnus David (Dadi) Perlmutter Appointed Chairman of the Technion Council
He Will Succeed Gideon Frank, Who Served in the Role for Ten Years
Dadi Perlmutter, chair of the Committee for Increasing Human Capital in High-Tech and former executive vice president at Intel Corporation, has been appointed chairman of the Technion Council.
Perlmutter, a graduate of the Andrew and Erna Viterbi Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering, worked at Intel for 34 years. During his time there, he led the development of the Pentium, Pentium Pro, Pentium II, and Centrino processors. In his final role at the company, he served as executive vice president and chief product officer at Intel. He has served as a director at Mellanox, chairman of two startup companies, chairman of the Public Council for the Advancement of High-Tech in the Arab Sector, and chair of the Inter-Ministerial Committee for Increasing Human Capital in High-Tech.
Perlmutter received the inaugural Technion Alumni Medal in 2018 — awarded to graduates who have achieved outstanding accomplishments in science, medicine, engineering, technology, and architecture; contributed significantly to the advancement of the economy, industry, and education; and demonstrated exceptional leadership and public service to the State of Israel and the Technion. In 2023, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the Technion “for his vast and diverse contributions to the development of Israel’s high-tech industry and its advancement to the forefront of global technology; for being an educator and a social and business entrepreneur who champions equal opportunity, diversity, inclusion, and integration across all sectors of Israeli society; and in deep appreciation of his contributions to the Technion and higher education, and his dedication to the Technion Friends Association in Israel.”
“The Technion is a symbol of excellence, innovation, and commitment to the public,” said Perlmutter. “It is a great honor for me to head the Council of an institution that educates generations of engineers, researchers, and scientists – the foundation of Israel’s economy and national security. In my new role as chair of the Technion Council and as head of the Committee for Increasing Human Capital in High-Tech, I will work to strengthen the ties between academia, industry, and the state – to help ensure a better, more technological, and more equitable future for all citizens of Israel.”
Gideon Frank, who is stepping down after a decade of serving as the Council’s chairman, earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and a master’s degree in nuclear sciences at the Technion. He served as Director of the Soreq Nuclear Research Center and as the Head of the Israel Atomic Energy Commission. He served in the Atomic Energy Commission for 43 years in various positions and was the head of the Commission for 14 years under six Prime Ministers. He later served as acting prime minister in this field for four years.
As part of his roles at the Atomic Energy Commission, he also served as a safeguards inspector at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna and as a scientific adviser at the Israeli Embassy in Washington. He subsequently served as a director at the International Van Leer Group Foundation and was chairman of Crecor’s board of directors, a subsidiary of the Van Leer Foundation engaged in venture capital investments in Israel. He also served as a director on the board of the Israel Electric Corporation during a period of major structural reform in the company. He currently serves as a director on the board of the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) in Washington.
“The Technion, in my eyes, is one of the bright spots of hope in the difficult period currently facing Israel and the sharp and rapid changes expected throughout the world,” said Frank. “As a leader in research and technology, the Technion will, as in the past, prove to be one of the drivers of essential changes for the future development of Israel. I am very pleased that Dadi has taken on the role of chairman of the Technion Council, and I am confident that with his experience and unique capabilities, he will help the President of the Technion and its management lead the necessary changes for Israel’s development.”
Technion President Prof. Uri Sivan thanked Gideon Frank for his leadership over the past decade: “His leadership in the face of numerous complex challenges enabled continued growth and resilience during one of the most demanding periods in Technion history.” He congratulated Perlmutter on his appointment, adding: “The Technion is fortunate to have brilliant alumni, some of whom – like Gideon and Dadi – choose to dedicate years of their lives, their experience, and their talent to their alma mater, which educated and shaped them for impactful, far-reaching careers. I have no doubt that Dadi will help lead us to new achievements in education, science, and technology.”
