Chief Executive Officer, ELNET-Israel

Dr. Emmanuel Navon is an academic with expertise on Europe-Israel relations. He lectures International Relations at Tel Aviv University, is a senior fellow at the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security (JISS) and is a foreign affairs analyst for i24news. He has taught in the past at Reichman University, at Bar-Ilan University, and the IDF’s National Security College. Navon is the author of several books, including The Star and the Scepter: A Diplomatic History of Israel, a a reference book that has been translated in five languages.

Previously, he was a consultant for ARTTIC, where he advised Israeli companies on building partnerships in Europe and on obtaining R&D funding from the European Commission; CEO of BNIC, an organization that trained Israeli business leaders for public diplomacy in Europe; and founding partner of The Navon-Levy Group, a consultancy that promoted Israeli agriculture and energy projects in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Chief Executive Officer, ELNET-EU and NATO

Matthijs Schussler has started his career as an attorney at law dealing with private equity and real estate, at an Amsterdam based international law firm. Thereafter he worked as legal advisor and official secretary to the President and National Board of the Dutch Christian Democratic Party (CDA).

For the last five years Matthijs served as senior policy advisor at the European People's Party (EPP), the largest party in the European Parliament, with a focus on international trade, aviation and the European budget. He speaks fluent Hebrew and holds an MA and BA Law degree from the University of Leiden in The Netherlands.

Chief Executive Officer, ELNET-France

Dr Arié Bensemhoun has been the Chief Executive Officer of ELNET France since 2011. He is dentist by profession and made his career in the private sector as a consultant in communications, PR and international relations dealing with Middle East and strategic affairs.

Dr Bensemhoun plays a crucial role in the French-Israeli relationship through his commitment both at the community and political levels.

Chief Executive Officer, ELNET-Germany

Carsten Ovens is the Executive Director of ELNET Germany since March 2019. With almost two decades of experience in politics; as a Member of the Hamburg State Parliament, he devoted his work to the German-Israeli relations with a focus on innovation and start-ups for many years.

Beforehand, Carsten worked in business development and management consulting throughout Europe, as a lecturer on marketing and communications at several leading universities, and as a researcher on social media communication effects on politics and society.

Chief Executive Officer, ELNET-Italy

Roberta Anati has played a key role in building the economic relations between Israel and Italy since 1992, including opening the Italian Trade Commission and serving as its Deputy Director, as well as serving as Vice President of the Israel-Italy Chamber of Commerce. She has consulted to the Italian Embassy, as well as former Head of the Crisis Unity.

Roberta is an award-winning business intelligence and innovation leader who leverages emerging technologies to drive innovation and business growth for several billion-dollar family companies. She is a sought-after thought leader on emerging technology, ecosystems and building cultures between countries.

President, FELNET

David Siegel is former Israeli diplomat involved in foreign policy formulation at the highest levels, including as Consul General to the Southwest United States. He served as the Chief of Staff to Israel’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Director of the Foreign Ministry’s International Organizations Department and Chief of Staff to three of Israel’s Ambassadors to the United States.

He holds an MA in International Relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and a BA in political science from the University of Vermont.

Executive Director, ELNET-Central & Eastern Europe

Marta Kubica brings 15 years of professional and academic experience in Polish-Jewish and Polish-Israel relations. She spent ten years at the Embassy of Israel in Poland, where she supported the Executive Office in liaising with state and local government officials, business, academia, churches and the Jewish community. She also supported high-level visits and managed numerous projects aimed at furthering and improving Polish-Israeli relations.

Marta served as Diplomatic Protocol Specialist at the U.S. Embassy Warsaw, focusing on the protocol, project management and high-level visits, as well as advising the Executive Office.

With an academic background in Jewish studies and political science, Marta has an extensive track record of promoting Israel and its image in Poland. She served as chairwoman of the Jewish Studies students’ association and established an academic exchange program between the Jagiellonian University in Krakow and Ariel University in Israel.

Chief Executive Officer, ELNET-UK

Joan Ryan was elected as a UK Member of Parliament in 1997. In 2002 Joan Ryan was promoted to Government Whip followed by a further promotion to become the Home Office Minister responsible for Immigration and Police Improvement. In 2007 she was appointed as Special Representative to Cyprus by the Prime Minister and appointed to the Privy Council by Her Majesty the Queen. In 2015 Joan Ryan was appointed as Chair for the Labour Friends of Israel and in 2016 she was appointed by the Speaker to the House of Commons Speaker’s Panel, chairing public bills and parliamentary debates.