Dr. Ami Appelbaum is the Chief Scientist and the Chairman of the Board of Israel Innovation Authority (IIA). Dr. Appelbaum has more than 36 years’ experience in research, development and senior level management in the field of the Semiconductor.

Prior to the current job as Chief Scientist, Dr. Appelbaum served for 22 years at numerous executive positions at KLA Tencor, $15.6B Market Cap and world leader in the business of capital equipment for the semiconductor industry based in the Silicon Valley, CA.

Dr. Ami Appelbaum recent job was Corporate Senior Vice President and president of KLA Tencor Israel. Dr. Appelbaum also held jobs as General Manager of a startup by the name Gallium Arsenide Diodes (GAD), in Israel. VP Operations and Program Manager at Semiconductor Devices (SCD) in Israel, manager of semiconductor lasers and detector development at Rockwell International in Richardson Texas and Newbury Park California and Member of Technical Staff (MTS) at AT&T Bell Lab in Murray Hill New Jersey (US).

Dr. Appelbaum received his Doctorate and Master degrees from the Technion, Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa in the years 1983 and 1980, respectively and his Engineering degree from Ben Gurion University in Beer Sheba in 1977 , all in the field of materials engineering.

Dr. Appelbaum is the author and co-author of more than 50 scientific and technical publications, and holds 7 patents in the field of semiconductor equipment and processing.