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Hybrid is the name of the game—interview with Aviad Tamir | The Hebrew University Business School

Hybrid is the name of the game—interview with Aviad Tamir

Hybrid is the name of the game—interview with Aviad Tamir

Aviad Tamir, the newly appointed Head of Israel’s Economic and Trade Mission to the UAE, talks about his diverse career path and gives advice and inspiration to job market entrants.

Trusting your intuitions

Over the course of his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and East Asian Studies at Hebrew University, Tamir enrolled in the Future of Public Administration program, which trains students for management positions in the public sector. Upon his graduation, Tamir began his career as Consulting Director at the Social Equality Ministry. “It was interesting: I learned how decisions are made, and how organizations are run,” he recalls.

After an extended training process, Tamir won the prestigious Ralph Goldman Leadership Scholarship, sponsored by the World Joint Organization, and began a year of research. “When I received the scholarship, I faced a professional dilemma: Should I accept the offer and leave my path toward promotion within the Ministry? Or should I take a year off for an out-of-routine experience and embrace the world?”

Tamir explains that when we make decisions, “we tend to stop ourselves, and think about if this is correct or not. However, sometimes we just need to rely on that gut feeling and run with it.”

Later on in life, Tamir wanted to continue the work he began in the “Future of Public Administrations” program, and he was one of the founders of “Ma’ash”, an organization that works to strengthen and renew public service in Israel.

The goal was to execute deep research, including examining global models and mapping the boundaries and opportunities for including quality personnel at intermediate management levels. We wanted to create policy alternatives, and bring the issues to the government.

When he finished at Ma’ash, Tamir began working as a Purchasing Manager for the Air Force on behalf of the Defense Ministry in New York. When he returned to Israel, he entered the Crisis Management field as Senior Strategic Advisor at Gitam BBDO marketing agency, and after a year was appointed to his former position at the Commerce Ministry.

Be a fox, with a dash of hedgehog

Tamir believes that the foundational courses that he took at the Hebrew University Business School enriched his knowledge, and fondly remembers the courses and experiences that addressed the emotional needs of employees. “I think in business it is very important to understand the soul of a person.”

Tamir enrolled in entrepreneurial courses that had a mix of Business Administration and Exact Sciences students. He explained that the students all gained a lot from one another:

“It is very important to meet people who aren’t like you. Try to find different people who complement you.” It’s also important to make connections with experts, and not to be afraid of consulting with people in the industry: People in Israel really love to help!”

Tamir is optimistic about young students and graduates who are about to join the workforce: “The market is hungry, and there is a lot of room for people to take initiative.” As an entrepreneur, Tamir recommends always remaining humble and modest, asking questions, and not being afraid of hard work and learning. “I try to work extremely hard, just so that I will have a seat at the grownups’ table,” Tamir admits.

Tamir believes that today students need multi-disciplinary and hybrid thinking. He mentions “The Hedgehog and the Fox”, an essay written by philosopher Isaiah Berlin, which describes various thinkers and creators. The hedgehogs are “experts”, and see the world through a one-dimensional lens, whereas the foxes see the world through a multi-dimensional lens and rely on broader knowledge and experiences.

Tamir recommends to students “to mainly be a fox, with a little dash of hedgehog.” He believes that it is important to know how to function in various situations, to develop diverse ways of thinking, and to understand various professions. He concludes, “Hybrid is the new multidisciplinary”.

In addition to working around the clock, Tamir loves to cook, “and even more, loves to eat!” He jokes, “On trips in Israel and abroad, when I’m making an itinerary, I start by checking where there’s good food!” He doesn’t just love the food, but he believes that “it’s important to experience different cultures.” A big part of culture is language, and he believes that “investing time in learning a new language is one of the best investments you can make while attending university”.