Dr Orna Berry - biography

Dr Orna Berry, Ph.D has spent over 25 years in science and technology industries, as an academic researcher, entrepreneur, policy maker and most recently, venture capitalist.

She is Corporate Vice President and General Manager for the Israel Center of Excellence at EMC Corporation. She is an expert advisor to the European Union in the field of science and technology (S&T) in the private sector.

Dr. Berry received a Ph.D. degree in Computer Science from the University of Southern California. She holds an M.A. and a B.A. in Statistics and Mathematics from Tel Aviv and Haifa Universities.

She has been active in industrial and entrepreneurial activities in the Israeli S&T-based industries and has made significant technological contributions to the local area network (LAN) industry.

She serves as the Chairperson of the Israel-Australia, New Zealand, and Oceana Chamber of Commerce. From January 2007 to June 2009, Dr. Berry was Chairman of the Hi Tech Industry Association. She served as the Chief Scientist and Director of the Industrial Research and Development Administration for the Ministry of Industry and Trade for the Government of Israel from 1997 to 2000.

Dr. Berry is a Member of several industry bodies, including the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), where she was awarded Senior Membership. She sits on the Board of a number of international organizations, such as the Global Advisory Board for the Australian Ministry of Communications and the EU-Israel Forum.

Dr. Berry also served as an Advisor on Australia’s Communications Global Advisory Board; the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) task force on Global Impact of IT Outsourcing where she led the industrial track; and was a member of the European Research Advisory Board where she led the study of Academia-Industry collaboration.

She is a member of several international professional societies and is involved in innovation coming out of a number of academic and research institutes.

She was elected to the International Council of INSEAD and serves as a University of Southern California Ambassador.

The most recent among her many awards is one from Transparency International.