The William Davidson MBA at Technion

The Technion – Israel Institute of Technology announced today that the Master of Business Administration program has been named The William Davidson Master of Business Administration Program in honor of American business leader and philanthropist William “Bill” Davidson (1922-2009). The announcement was made by Technion President, Professor Uri Sivan, during a joint meeting between Technion leadership and the Board of Directors of the William Davidson Foundation. 

“William Davidson’s outstanding achievements and legacy have made him a source of inspiration for those seeking to become entrepreneurs and innovators themselves,” said President Sivan. “I cannot think of a better program to bear his name than the one for the Technion MBA,” he concluded. 

William “Bill” Davidson was a quiet man of immense influence in business, professional sports, and the Jewish community. He learned at an early age the importance of helping others through charitable giving and made it a lifelong practice.

An outstanding industrialist and innovator who transformed a small, family company into a leading worldwide glass and plastics manufacturing enterprise, Mr. Davidson was a life-long supporter of the  State of Israel and a Technion Guardian, a designation reserved for those who have reached the highest level of support of the institution.  As a proponent of experiential business education, Mr. Davidson viewed the Technion’s role in training future leaders as important to securing Israel’s economic future.  In a particularly visionary statement in 1997, he said “Israel has a critical need to equip its technological ‘pioneers’ with the skills necessary to translate successes in the lab into an edge in the global competition for markets, customers, and capital.”

“We are honored that the Technion is naming their MBA program after Bill Davidson, who believed that for Israel and its economy to remain strong and dynamic, the country needed bright, entrepreneurial business leaders with an understanding of global trends and markets,” said Darin McKeever, President, and CEO of the William Davidson Foundation. “The Technion’s approach of integrating training in engineering, science, and technology with a strong business education can help to create the kind of leaders Israeli businesses need today,” he added.

The Technion MBA program is unique in its focus on entrepreneurship, innovation, and technological management, which are core strengths at Technion.

The Technion MBA program is unique in its focus on entrepreneurship, innovation, and technological management.  The prestigious program enjoys several unique advantages, including the Technion’s rich ecosystem of faculty and applied research centers, as well as a network of international partnerships with leading management institutions.  The program offers four specialization tracks, which allow students to deepen their knowledge and expertise in key aspects of technology business and management: big data and business intelligence; innovation and entrepreneurship; the “Azrieli start-up” track, which combines MBA studies with a supportive environment for establishing and developing technology ventures; and a new Life Sciences MBA track, which will allow students from life sciences fields to specialize in managing and leading life science organizations and ventures.

Students in the Technion MBA program have strong academic backgrounds and rich and diverse professional experiences, working in technology and knowledge-driven companies. This diversity and excellence play an important role in the program, which fosters mutual learning and collaboration. Among the MBA program’s alumni are Moovit founders Yaron Evron and Roy Bick and Alcobra founder Dr. Yaron Danieli.

The William Davidson Foundation is a private family foundation, established in 2005, that honors its founder and continues his lifelong commitment to philanthropy, advancing for future generations the economic, cultural, and civic vitality of Southeast Michigan, the State of Israel, and the Jewish community. For more information, visit williamdavidson.org