When careers take unexpected turns: Lessons from CEOs who shifted fields
When careers take unexpected turns: Lessons from CEOs who shifted fields
From law to foodtech and film to marketing, these leaders show how unrelated degrees can drive innovation and success.
Once, the path was clear: high school, army, university—then work and career in a chosen field. Those who studied law became lawyers, and those who studied computer science joined technology companies. But in today’s frenetic work world, where professions emerge and vanish at an unprecedented rate, where experts and influencers are measured by likes and followers, a college degree is no longer a guarantee of success or job stability. While advanced degrees remain prerequisites in some industries, many employers in high-tech are shifting to skills-based hiring, often waiving the requirement for an academic degree.
Beyond meeting baseline requirements, a question arises: What value does an academic degree truly provide? Are studies in fields unrelated to one’s eventual career worthwhile? We asked five CEOs, each working in industries unrelated to their academic studies, whether they regret their education, how it shaped their careers, and what impact their degrees had on their journey to their current roles. Spoiler alert: no regrets.
Eshchar Ben-Shitrit, CEO and co-founder of the foodtech company Redefine Meat
The academic and early career path of Eshchar Ben-Shitrit, CEO and co-founder of Redefine Meat, hardly foretold his rise as a foodtech innovator. He earned a bachelor’s degree in law and a master’s in business administration at the Hebrew University. After completing his legal internship at the Supreme Court, where he worked briefly as a legal assistant to the late Judge Edmond Levy, Ben-Shitrit transitioned to a product manager role at Indigo, a division of HP in Israel.
“After that, I became a field manager responsible for multiple products and aspects of development, marketing, and sales globally. I learned a lot and quickly gained real-world experience. But more importantly, I met amazing people who still support me today, including Adam Lahav, my co-founder at Redefine Meat, and Alon Bar-Shany, Indigo’s CEO at the time and now our chairman,” he says.
From there, Ben-Shitrit joined the startup Highcon as VP of Marketing, where he witnessed how small companies navigate rapid, transformative journeys. This inspired him to found Redefine Meat, driven by his passion for sustainable food.
Ben-Shitrit credits his law degree for honing his ability to analyze complex problems and his MBA for equipping him with foundational tools in finance and marketing. “The combination of both serves me daily, even though I don’t directly practice what I studied,” he says. Yet, his studies’ greatest gift was the courage to leave a traditional career path for one that personally resonated with him.
“University taught me that even if you’re talented, you need patience to learn critical concepts like contracts, financial reports, and mathematics. It also showed me the importance of depth and breadth in education, which I use to this day,” he says. However, he acknowledges that luck, timing, and risk-taking often outweigh theoretical knowledge.
Doron Aaronsohn, CMO at Sela
Doron Aaronsohn, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) at Sela, a global provider of cloud services, holds a bachelor’s degree in film and television from Tel Aviv University. “I firmly believe in general education. Its value goes beyond professional specialization, which is also important, of course,” he says.
Aaronsohn credits his degree with exposing him to creative thinking and problem-solving methods that continue to influence his approach to work and business. After graduating, he launched a business offering services to advertising agencies and commercial clients. “I learned everything on the fly: managing budgets, marketing and sales, customer support, recruiting, and working with suppliers,” he says.
His career progressed through marketing and management roles, leading him to complete an MBA at Tel Aviv University. He later joined Jolt.io, where he managed Israeli operations, became VP of Global Marketing and Sales, and eventually served as CEO. “I led processes like the company’s sale to a British group, global expansions, and a merger,” he says.
Aaronsohn recently became CMO at Sela, working with top cloud providers and diverse clients. Reflecting on his degree, he says, “It didn’t give me a profession or open specific doors. But it taught me critical thinking, analytical skills, and how to learn effectively—tools that are invaluable in my work today.”
Hagit Kamin CEO of SyqeAir
Hagit Kamin, CEO of SyqeAir, attributes her formative years at Zeitlin High School in Tel Aviv—a religious yet academically rigorous institution—with shaping her critical thinking and resilience. “The curriculum’s blend of Jewish and secular studies taught me to approach challenges from multiple perspectives,” she says.
Kamin later studied social psychology, which equipped her with tools for leading initiatives, managing diverse stakeholders, and driving strategic innovation. Her career includes leadership roles such as VP of Marketing at Paz, where she spearheaded the retail transformation of Yellow convenience stores, and CEO of eco99FM, where she redefined the station as a digital music platform.
Although her academic studies don’t directly align with her current role, Kamin values the strategic insights they provided, helping her scale SyqeAir’s operations.
Tomer Fefer, CEO of 10bis
Tomer Fefer, CEO of 10bis, studied electrical and electronics engineering at Tel Aviv University, which laid the foundation for his early career in development. “Although my degree isn’t directly related to my current role, it gave me critical problem-solving skills that I still use daily,” he says.
Fefer’s career evolved through leadership roles at 10bis, eventually leading to a pivotal moment in 2016 when he helped secure a foreign investment. “We built financial models and held professional discussions with top funds, all of which I learned through intensive self-study,” he explains.
Hagit Adler, CEO of Materna
Hagit Adler, CEO of Materna, initially debated between careers in medicine and fashion design. She ultimately chose to study biology, a decision that led her into health-related roles in marketing and business development.
Her academic journey included a master’s in health systems management, which provided her with essential management tools. “Even today, my studies help me navigate complex challenges in my leadership roles,” she says.
