Microsoft Israel R&D Appoints New CEO Amid Leadership Changes

Microsoft announced Wednesday the appointment of Ohad Yassin as the new CEO of its Research and Development (R&D) center in Israel. Yassin, who currently leads the company's international sovereign cloud operations, will assume his new role in November. He succeeds Michal Braverman-Blumenthal, who is departing after 13 years with Microsoft, including 6.5 years as head of the R&D center.

This appointment follows a broader leadership transition at Microsoft Israel. In August, Nati Amsterdam was appointed CEO of Microsoft Israel, overseeing the business and commercial operations, including sales and marketing. The company is now completing a reshuffling of its top two executives in Israel, with Yassin leading technological development and Amsterdam managing the business side.

Yassin joined Microsoft in 2014 and has held various senior positions within the Israeli development center and Microsoft's global management. He has been instrumental in establishing new product groups and initiatives in cloud computing, artificial intelligence, software, and hardware. Currently a corporate vice president, he is responsible for the global strategy and operations of national partner clouds and private cloud.

The Microsoft R&D center in Israel is considered strategically important for the global company. It operates across six locations nationwide, including Herzliya, Tel Aviv, Haifa, Nazareth, Beersheba, and Jerusalem. This center was Microsoft's first R&D facility established outside the United States and employs hundreds of developers working on cloud, AI, software, and hardware technologies.