A long-time Elbit veteran who rose through the company's internal divisions to lead its transition into a global, technology-focused defense powerhouse.
Early Life: Machlis built his professional reputation within the Israeli defense ecosystem, developing deep technical expertise in systems engineering and battlefield technology.
First Break: His tenure as Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Land and C4I division (2008–2012) established his track record for scaling complex military business units.
Path to CEO: After serving as a divisional head, he was tapped in 2012 to succeed Joseph Ackerman, officially taking the helm in April 2013. He has focused on driving growth through both internal R&D innovation and strategic global acquisitions.
Original Vision: To shift the company from a domestic Israeli provider to a global leader in advanced electronics, unmanned systems, and cyber-defense.
Bezhalel Machlis represents the quintessential internal successor at Elbit Systems. Having spent his career within the company, he possesses a rare blend of deep technical engineering knowledge and strategic executive leadership. His ascension followed a successful stint leading the Land and C4I division, where he demonstrated an ability to navigate the complex procurement requirements of the Israeli Ministry of Defense. Since becoming CEO, he has focused on creating a self-sustaining innovation culture, emphasizing that Elbit does not wait for customers to define needs, but rather develops mature, battlefield-proven solutions ahead of market demand. Under his guidance, Elbit has become a globally recognized entity, pivoting aggressively into growth areas such as laser defense and unmanned combat aerial vehicles.
insider-successordefense-experttechnical-leadergrowth-oriented
