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Jewish Community News

News: September 2006

3COM founder Eric Benhamou
speaks at Jewish High Tech Society

By Laura Rheinheimer

Former 3Com and Palm chief executive officer Eric Benhamou stands at a podium on July 11 in a clean cut law office conference room in San Jose. He wears a tucked-in blue and white striped dress shirt and crisp trousers. After his arrival, the room quickly quiets to hear what this high-tech mogul has to say.

While Benhmaou has led business meetings hundreds of times before, this group holds a more personal appeal. Benhamou is addressing some 40 Jewish business men and women for a Jewish High Tech Society meeting.

His message: the importance on giving away money in a smart and meaningful way. He calls it “venture philanthropy,” turning business experience into giving back to the community.

Now chairman of the Israel Venture Network, IVN, a venture philanthropy group that aims to strengthen Israeli society, Benhamou helps fund organizations that can ultimately stand on their own.
Benhamou does not gush about his love of the Jewish homeland, or his dedication to Jewish causes. Rather, he presents simple, business advice for budding philanthropists in the private and nonprofit world.

“Philanthropy must be approached from a business model,” he says.
What is the key? To form a network of companies and people to “pursue systematic solutions.” You can’t ignore other parts of the problem, Benhamou says.

“A network is more intelligent than one business philanthropist,” he adds. IVN, with 150 members from the business world and 27 companies onboard, connects Israeli entrepreneurs with mentors. The point is to “get obstacles out of the way and let the entrepreneur do the work,” says Benhamou.

With half of the group in Israel and the other half in the United States, one thing brings them together: “They care about the well-being of Israel,” Benhamou says.

His support of Jewish groups can be found outside of Israel, too. He contributes to Bay Area Hebrew day schools, Kehillah Jewish High School, the California Israel Chamber of Commerce and others.

Benhamou said venture philanthropy, like the work that IVN does, tries to break away from traditional philanthropy by investing in causes that will result in long-term improvement.

“Social investment is not a one-quarter thing; it’s a way of life,” Benhamou says.

Some members of nonprofit groups hoped to get ideas on how to improve their own organizations.

“We believe the future for fundraising should be a business model as opposed to a ‘begging’ model,” says Alan Werba, vice president for development for Hillel, a nonprofit organization for college students.
Benhamou’s message of partnership and collaboration rang strong with Jewish High Tech Community Coordinator Bill Lazar. After nearly a two-year hiatus, Lazar started the group up again to serve the Jewish and Israeli business community.

Hooking up with key players in the hightech and business world is the group’s aim. The first meeting of the year featured Shelly Herbert, Executive Director for Jewish Campus Life. September’s meeting will host Ofer Ben-Shachar, CEO of Raw Sugar.

“A lot of us are not your temple-going bunch but like associating with the community and the culture,” Lazar says. “We have a really good core of people who want to get together and have these discussions and hear speakers.”

Some attending the July 11th meeting were impressed with Benhamou’s networking abilities and commitment to the Jewish community.
Benhamou has many business and personal accomplishments. He helped to cofound Bar Yohai Sefardic Minyan, a South Bay Orthodox community, but does not regularly go to services. His grown children attended South Peninsula Hebrew Day School, to which Benhamou gives generously.

In his professional career, he has focused on optimizing business performance and his personal goals are aimed at improving worldwide quality of life.

Benhamou serves as chairman and CEO of Benhamou Global Ventures, which invests in high tech companies around the world. He also serves as chairman of the board of directors for 3Com Corporation and Palm, Inc., and is an adjunct professor at INSEAD, a business school near Paris. Early in his career, he co-founded Bridge Communications, which later merged with 3Com, where he served as CEO for 10 years. He also served as CEO for Palm for two years.

Benhamou has been recognized for his insight in high tech and business by former U.S. President Bill Clinton and former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Benhamou serves on the board of directors for numerous private companies, think tanks and universities. He is the chairman of the Israel Venture Network.

Benhamou earned his Master’s degree in engineering from Stanford University. He was awarded honorary doctorates from Ben Gurion University, Widener University, Western Governors University and the University of South Carolina.

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