Viber CEO Ofir Eyal Shares Journey From Reluctant Programmer to Leading Global Tech Firm

Ofir Eyal, CEO of the messaging app Viber, recounts his unconventional path to leading a global company with 600 employees, including 200 in Israel. Now 48 and based in Ramat Gan, Eyal’s early years were marked by academic struggles in computer science and a challenging military service as a prison guard for high-risk inmates. Despite disliking programming and only achieving moderate math scores, he developed resilience and self-confidence through these experiences.

After the army, Eyal worked various tech-related jobs before entering software testing, where he advanced by taking initiative beyond his defined roles. He adopted a personal philosophy of embracing new responsibilities without demanding immediate rewards, contrasting with attitudes he observes among younger employees today. In 2012, he joined Citibank’s innovation center in Israel but felt out of place due to the company’s academic requirements for managers.

Eyal joined Viber in 2014 shortly after its $900 million acquisition by Japan’s Rakuten. Initially hired as a product vice president, he gradually assumed broader responsibilities, eventually becoming CEO after the previous French CEO’s departure. He highlights the cultural differences between Israel’s open communication style and Japan’s hierarchical, consensus-driven approach, which he had to navigate carefully.

Viber, once a pioneer in voice-over-IP calls, now competes globally but struggles to penetrate dominant markets like Israel and Japan, where WhatsApp and local competitors prevail. Instead, Viber focuses on countries with over 50% smartphone penetration, such as the Philippines, Greece, and Eastern European nations. The company exited Russia following the Ukraine invasion, which had previously accounted for 40% of its users and revenue, causing temporary losses. However, Viber returned to profitability in 2024 and achieved record revenues in 2025.

Eyal embraces AI integration within Viber, including GPT-powered message enhancements, noting a 400% increase in AI usage recently. Looking ahead, he plans to increase average revenue per user significantly rather than expanding into new markets. He dismisses concerns about Viber’s future under Rakuten, emphasizing its role as Rakuten’s main gateway outside Japan.

Summary: Ofir Eyal, once a reluctant programmer and military prison guard, rose to become CEO of Viber, steering the company through cultural challenges and market shifts to record profitability and global presence outside Japan and Israel.