Assaf Rappaport

Rappaport was born on 28 August 1983, in Israel. He graduated from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem with a bachelor's degree in computer science, physics, and mathematics. He later earned a master's degree (MSc) in computer science from the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. After finishing Talpiot, he served in Unit 81, a top-secret technological unit, and then served as a captain in Unit 8200, the IDF’s cyber and signal intelligence corps. == Career ==

Early roles After his military service, Rappaport briefly worked as a consultant at McKinsey & Company before starting his own cybersecurity venture. Adallom (2012–2015) In 2012, Rappaport co-founded Adallom, a cloud access security broker (CASB), with Ami Luttwak and Roy Reznik. Adallom specialized in protecting data in software-as-a-service (SaaS) applications. Within three years, it was acquired by Microsoft in July 2015 for approximately $320 million. Microsoft (2015–2019) Following the acquisition, Rappaport and his co-founders moved to Microsoft. At the age of 34, he was appointed head of Microsoft’s Israel Research & Development Center, which employed around 1,500 people. Wiz (2020–present) Founding and early growth In January 2020, Rappaport left Microsoft to co-found Wiz with Ami Luttwak, Roy Reznik, and Yinon Costica. By mid-2021, Wiz had achieved “unicorn” status after raising several hundred million dollars in additional funding, placing its valuation at around $6 billion. Acquisition by Google By 2023, Wiz served over 40% of Fortune 100 companies. In mid-2024, reports suggested that Alphabet was interested in acquiring Wiz. Although Rappaport initially rejected an offer of about $23 billion to explore an initial public offering (IPO), negotiations resumed amid a weakening IPO market. On 18 March 2025, Alphabet announced it had entered into an agreement to acquire Wiz for $32 billion in cash, subject to regulatory approvals. == Personal life ==

Rappaport came out as gay at a young age and is in a long-term relationship with Ophir, a former educator who now works in the high-tech sector. He became the first CEO in Israel to introduce surrogacy grants for both same-sex and heterosexual couples at Wiz. Rappaport is known for his preference for simplicity and convenience over material wealth. He chooses public transportation over owning a car, citing parking difficulties in his area. His leadership style is described as unconventional, engaging with employees as equals and typically dressing casually in jeans, sneakers, and a t-shirt. Rappaport is also recognized for his outspoken political views. He has actively participated in protests against the Israeli government’s controversial judicial reform efforts. In response to these reforms, he announced that Wiz would transfer funds out of Israel, retaining only what was necessary for salaries and essential operations. == References ==