In the wake of dual leadership resignations at Friends of the IDF (FIDF), all eyes have turned to its newly named National Director, Maj. Gen. (Res.) Nadav Padan.
A senior FIDF official recently told Ynet, “An era has ended. The question now is whether it will be enough to save the organization.” But behind the scenes, a quiet reshuffling may already be underway.
Padan was until recently listed as a senior advisor to CyberPro.AI, a prominent cybersecurity firm. According to archived versions of the company’s website, he was featured prominently as part of their leadership advisory team. But in recent months—well before the FIDF scandal became public—his name and image were removed without explanation.
Despite this, Padan continued to represent CyberPro.AI in an official capacity as recently as September 2024. At the CyberTech NYC 2024 conference held at the Metropolitan Pavilion, he appeared on a high-profile panel titled “National and Global Cyber Challenges,” where he was listed in the program as a senior advisor to CyberPro.AI and former head of the IDF's Cyber Defense Directorate.
He is also currently scheduled to speak again at CyberTech NYC 2025, this time in November, where his affiliation with CyberPro.AI remains on the program. The question now is whether he will continue in this dual role or step fully into the demanding position at FIDF.
At a time when FIDF is struggling with donor trust and organizational credibility, the role of its new leader must be clear and singular. If Padan has officially cut ties with his tech affiliations, FIDF would do well to clarify that publicly. If not, donors and stakeholders may rightly ask whether a potentially part-time leader can offer the focus and accountability the organization urgently needs.
FIDF does not just require new leadership. It requires full-time commitment, transparency, and a clear break from past missteps. Nadav Padan’s next move will help determine whether this new chapter is one of renewal—or simply more of the same.
