itrek Leader Spotlight: Cyril Berdugo, Stanford MBA 2017

The itrek Team

August 22, 2019

Our itrek leaders are from some of the best MBA, Law, Policy, and STEM programs around the world. Each of the leaders has a passion for Israel that they want to share with their peers. We’re talking with some alumni leaders to learn how itrek made an impact on them, how they stay connected with friends from the trip, and where their path has take them.

Name: Cyril Berdugo

Age: 30

School: Stanford Graduate School of Business

Current Location: New York

Job: Co-founder at Landis

Date of itrek: November 2016

Tell us about yourself:

I’m originally from Paris and moved to the US for college. After graduating, I worked in New York for a few years before going to business school at Stanford.

How did you get involved with itrek?

Our Stanford class was only the second year to have an official itrek trip to Israel. We got really lucky as we fundraised and tapped into the expertise and guidance of the itrek team. I went to a leadership weekend in New York, and it was fun meeting other leaders to compare agendas. We interviewed several tour operators, then went back to California and finalized the itinerary of the trek.

"We felt the trek was the best way to expose people to the real Israel."

Why did you want to lead an itrek?

It was pretty simple. I love Israel, and it’s my life’s mission to make the country safer and better. There were three Israelis, another American, and me, a Frenchie, leading the itrek from Stanford that year. We felt the trek was the best way to expose people to the real Israel.

How did you plan and promote the trek?

We did a lot of email blasting to the class and the trip filled up fast. We really wanted all the future leaders in their respective fields communities to have a chance to visit Israel.

What was something you felt was a must-see for your fellow students?

We had a very typical itinerary: the Dead Sea, Golan Heights, Jerusalem, Tel-Aviv. I think the Christian places and the Western Wall were the most important parts of the trips. The Christian participants had a very powerful experience. Before the trip, we wondered whether we should be focused on startups and tech, given the interests of many of our classmates. But to be honest, lots of people read about tech all day already, so the last thing they wanted was to focus on it more. We did meet with some entrepreneurs and Magma VC in Tel-Aviv, though.

"With itrek, I've been able to understand that if smart people between the ages of 22-40 can come to Israel and see what's happening, that is the single most important and effective way to make the conversation progress."

What was your favorite part of the trip?

I think the best part of the trip was Jerusalem and just going to the old city and seeing the history of the place. We went to the old city and Yad Vashem right away, and it was incredibly powerful. Another thing the participants will always remember is the desert rave close to Ein Gedi. We just partied in the desert, and they’ll say it was the best party of their lives.

What is something unique about itrek?

I’ve previously led trips to Israel, so I had prior knowledge of how some trips generally work. But itrek is different because they empower the trip leaders. They were always there to give us more information and tools, and if we ran into problems, they explained how it had been done previously.

How involved are you with itrek and Israel today?

I go to Israel 3-4 times a year and attend different itrek events. With itrek I’ve been able to understand that if smart people between the ages of 22–40 can come to Israel and see what’s happening, that is the single most important and effective way to make the conversation progress.

What are you doing today?

I co-founded a real estate technology company that helps people buy homes. I’m also a partner at a VC firm in New York.