Brig. Gen (Ret.) Ariella Ben Abraham
Fellow, International Institute for Counter-Terrorism (ICT), Reichman University; Strategic Consultant in Global Crisis Management, Government and Public Affairs; Former National Chief Censor, IDF, Israel.
Brigadier General (Ret.) Ariella Ben Abraham is the founder and CEO of ArBA, a boutique consulting firm specializing in strategic consulting, global crisis management, and organizational resilience. Leveraging her extensive experience in national security, business strategy, and crisis leadership, ArBA develops innovative strategies to support business growth, navigate complex crises, and strengthen leadership and organizational resilience in an unpredictable world. The firm specializes in government relations (GR) and public relations (PR) within volatile geopolitical, geo-strategic, and regulatory environments, providing tailored solutions for senior executives, chairpersons, and CEOs across industries such as security, technology, and the public sector.
In addition to her role at ArBA, Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Ben Abraham serves as a board member at the Israel Ports Company, where she combines strategic innovation with hands-on experience in both public and private sectors. She is also a Fellow at the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism (ICT) at Reichman University since 2020 and a member of the National Team of Government Directors since 2022.
From 2020 to 2023, she served as Global Communications Executive at NSO Group Technologies, a leading cyber intelligence company. In this capacity, she led the company’s branding and communications strategy, managing GR and PR operations in Israel, the United States, and the EU. She established strategic partnerships with government bodies, public organizations, and academic institutions, driving NSO’s strategic agenda while leading complex crisis response initiatives amid rapidly shifting regulatory and geopolitical landscapes.
Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Ben Abraham served for 32 years in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), where she held senior leadership roles in the areas of national security and public communication. From 2015 to 2020, she was Israel’s National Chief Censor, overseeing Israel’s censorship policy and maintaining the balance between national security and freedom of expression. Working closely with intelligence and security agencies, she also led the development and implementation of advanced digital information systems. For her work, she received the Chief of Military Intelligence Award for Creative Thinking (2016) and was nominated twice for the Israel Defense Prize (2017, 2018).
From 2011 to 2015, she served as Deputy IDF Spokesperson and Head of the Communications Department, where she led the IDF’s communications strategy across Israeli, Arab, and international audiences. She directed major campaigns, managed public relations operations—including digital strategy, filming, and production—and commanded a wide network of officers and soldiers across IDF branches. During this time, she also trained senior commanders to engage effectively with the media.
Earlier, from 2007 to 2010, she served as Head of Public Outreach at the Home Front Command, where she pioneered Israel’s national framework for civilian emergency preparedness. She established a live broadcast studio, a national information center, and designed the IDF’s “Public Outreach Doctrine,” which has been adopted internationally as a model for building public resilience in crisis scenarios.
Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Ben Abraham specializes in national security, strategic communications, crisis and emergency management, government and public relations, organizational resilience, and leadership under uncertainty. Her expertise spans both the public and private sectors, enabling her to provide comprehensive strategies to help organizations succeed in volatile, high-risk environments.
She holds a Master’s in Political Science and National Security from the University of Haifa and the National Defense College (2011), an MBA in Business Administration from Derby University (1999), and a B.A. in Political Science and Sociology from Bar-Ilan University (Cum Laude, 1998). She is a graduate of the Wexner Foundation Senior Leadership Program at Harvard University (2016).
