It’s not just about improving features at Gilat. Here, you have actual technologies that you need to bend and twist to your advantage. We are pushing technology further and further.
For instance, we develop entire systems from scratch like big antennae systems that transmit, receive, track and follow satellites. We then connect the antenna to an airplane with a modem and connect to the Wi-Fi system on the plane. The entire system is made up of different components. Since antennae are a component of airborne systems they are very complex.
I manage a program which has a high impact on the product and on Gilat. I can feel the impact due to the attention and pressure I get inside Gilat as well as from the customers.
Before moving to Gilat, I worked for an aerospace company for 8 years. I wanted to switch from the defense side to the commercial side and also wanted to work at a hi-tech company which was fast moving. I’ve been working here for less than a year and I genuinely enjoy coming to work every single morning. I get good feedback that is helpful and not destructive. I’m also learning a new type of product line. I haven’t dealt directly with satellite communications in the past, so I get to learn a new field.
The best part is that Gilat is a global company. I always get to interface with different cultures, companies, and people who may work differently than I do. I’ve learned how to activate groups of R&D centers across the globe which was new for me, and of course, I get to travel.
To me, innovation means that you are solving a problem or a requirement in a different manner than people used to think about. This may change their perception of how a particular problem can be solved and as a result change what the industry brings to the table. For example, modems have been around forever but not our kind, so we are always bringing new approaches to the industry.
Innovation starts with our team. People at Gilat are very self-reliant. They have a “green light” to act on their own, do their work, and interact with other team members without being micromanaged. We are a team of doers.
