Eviatar Matania (born June 11, 1966) is a professor at the School of Political Science, Government and International Affairs at Tel-Aviv University, the Head of the Security Studies program. He is also an Adjunct Professor at Oxford University.
Prof. Matania is the founder and former Director General of the Israel National Cyber Directorate (INCD). In late 2011, Prime Minister Bejamin Netanyahu appointed him to establish and head the Israel National Cyber Bureau (INCB), starting to operate directly under the Prime Minister on January 1st, 2012, responsible for Israel's overall cyber policy and its implementation, as well as for the advancement of Israel's cyber ecosystem. According to Matania’s recommendations, in February 2015, the Israeli Government adopted two pioneering resolutions on the comprehensive cyber security strategy of Israel, including the establishment of a twin-entity to the existing INCB – a National Cyber Security Authority (NCSA). Together, the INCB and NCSA became the Israel National Cyber Directorate (INCD), and Matania was appointed as its Director General. He concluded his role in December 31, 2017 when he completed his six-year term.
Matania is a graduate of the elite academic program "Talpiot", and has held professional and leadership roles in Israel’s defense community across the fields of R&D, technological project management, intelligence analysis, and operations research. He also led the elite military-academic training programs for human capital in science and technology, subsequently, Matania worked in the Israeli hi-tech industry as an executive, an entrepreneur and as a venture capital investment lead, focusing on devising catalysts for start-ups and companies.
Prof. Matania has been a thought leader in policy, technology, and cyber strategy, participating in the foremost international fora, and engaged by leading global companies, top league universities and think tanks, where he has given talks and lectures (Harvard Kennedy School, Columbia SIPA, GW University, Chatham House, Council for Foreign Relations – CFR, Center for Strategic and International Studies – CSIS and Oxford University), as well as by top government officials and formal committees (such as Israeli Knesset Committees and US Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and Armed Services Cyber Sub-Committee).
