Chemi Peres

So he told him, look, lots of people are leaving now IAI and there's this guy that I think you should hire him. So he called me and he said, look, I heard great things about you. I want to hire you to the company. So I have a problem with that. I'm not going to work for you. I said, why? I said, because I just experienced this humiliating scene, I'm not going to repeat it.

So he told him, look, lots of people are leaving now IAI and there's this guy that I think you should hire him. So he called me and he said, look, I heard great things about you. I want to hire you to the company. So I have a problem with that. I'm not going to work for you. I said, why? I said, because I just experienced this humiliating scene, I'm not going to repeat it.

He said, will you meet me for coffee? I said, sure, of course. So we met for coffee. And he said, look, I'd like you to come and work with me. This is a company which is working in the defense industry. I want to move it into the civilian markets. It was dual use before dual use was used.

He said, will you meet me for coffee? I said, sure, of course. So we met for coffee. And he said, look, I'd like you to come and work with me. This is a company which is working in the defense industry. I want to move it into the civilian markets. It was dual use before dual use was used.

and I need somebody like you on my side to run the marketing, business development, those activities, and tell me what will it take to bring you on board. I said, look, the first thing is that I'm not going to be fired again. So he took out a white paper with a pen and he said, please write what are your conditions. I said, point number one, nobody can fire me from the company. He said,

and I need somebody like you on my side to run the marketing, business development, those activities, and tell me what will it take to bring you on board. I said, look, the first thing is that I'm not going to be fired again. So he took out a white paper with a pen and he said, please write what are your conditions. I said, point number one, nobody can fire me from the company. He said,

That's fine. Point number two, I told him I'm a student, so I need to be very flexible. I need to be the decision maker about how do I allocate my time. He crossed another V. And then we talked about my salary and my terms, my employment terms. And that was the point number three, which he also signed. And then he had point number four. He said, we're going also to pay for your tuition.

That's fine. Point number two, I told him I'm a student, so I need to be very flexible. I need to be the decision maker about how do I allocate my time. He crossed another V. And then we talked about my salary and my terms, my employment terms. And that was the point number three, which he also signed. And then he had point number four. He said, we're going also to pay for your tuition.

I said, thank you very much. So I joined the company. And we were doing amazing stuff. I think that one of the most exciting part of my experience there was the acquisition of a semiconductor fab in Israel. which was created by national semiconductors.

I said, thank you very much. So I joined the company. And we were doing amazing stuff. I think that one of the most exciting part of my experience there was the acquisition of a semiconductor fab in Israel. which was created by national semiconductors.

They invested a lot of money in this factory, in this pub, and they decided that they want to shut it down after they invested huge amounts of money. Our chairman at that time decided to buy the company and gave them a proposal that was really amazing. And they accepted the proposal. We did not have the resources to pull this transaction,

They invested a lot of money in this factory, in this pub, and they decided that they want to shut it down after they invested huge amounts of money. Our chairman at that time decided to buy the company and gave them a proposal that was really amazing. And they accepted the proposal. We did not have the resources to pull this transaction,

So we went to the Israel Corporation at the time, which was a conglomerate, and we offered them to join us in this effort. They would bring the funding. They would get 40% of the joint venture. We keep the 60%. So the deal was done without us putting anything, but holding 60% of the company.

So we went to the Israel Corporation at the time, which was a conglomerate, and we offered them to join us in this effort. They would bring the funding. They would get 40% of the joint venture. We keep the 60%. So the deal was done without us putting anything, but holding 60% of the company.

And the two guys that were running the pub, they said, if you guys are buying it, we believe we can make it profitable. So we went with them and the company shortly after went public, it changed its name to Tower Semiconductors. They did a great job and we took the company public and there was huge success for the company.

And the two guys that were running the pub, they said, if you guys are buying it, we believe we can make it profitable. So we went with them and the company shortly after went public, it changed its name to Tower Semiconductors. They did a great job and we took the company public and there was huge success for the company.

And then as we were looking for products to get into the civilian market, I started to have meetings with some young people that came up with ideas. but they had no way to fund it. So they wanted us, they heard about us. We went public and we did this. They thought that we are a strategic partner. They wanted us to invest in minority.

And then as we were looking for products to get into the civilian market, I started to have meetings with some young people that came up with ideas. but they had no way to fund it. So they wanted us, they heard about us. We went public and we did this. They thought that we are a strategic partner. They wanted us to invest in minority.

And I told them, look, we're not going to invest in minority in companies. Either we buy the company or we license the product. But for sure, we're not going to have a minority in the board seat. But I saw that there are great ideas and there's no platform to finance those ideas. So I spoke with the CEO, who unfortunately, a few years later, passed away of cancer.

And I told them, look, we're not going to invest in minority in companies. Either we buy the company or we license the product. But for sure, we're not going to have a minority in the board seat. But I saw that there are great ideas and there's no platform to finance those ideas. So I spoke with the CEO, who unfortunately, a few years later, passed away of cancer.