NETTO DESIGN HOUSE: BOLD DESIGN, LASTING IMPACT

For Lior Assaf, the sky is not the limit — it is only a beginning. What started as a career as a flight attendant at El Al evolved into a life-defining journey through the world of design.

"At the time, I was studying industrial design and searching for a creative outlet," he recalls. The spark was lit when he began working at a studio specializing in exhibition booth design and construction, and realized he had found his calling. In 2001, after gaining experience in the field, he founded his own company, Asaf Netto Ltd., which later became Netto Design House, reflecting both its global outlook and the spirit of home, he explains.

Success did not come at once. Soon after Netto Design House was creattion came the dot-com crash, which rocked the exhibition industry. A conversation with his older brother, a seasoned businessman, led Assaf to a make bold strategic decision: focus on the defense and pharmaceutical industries. Known for their resilience and steady growth, these markets would enable the young company to expand rapidly and establish its footing.

The strategy worked. Netto Design House quickly became a major player in the defense sector, with longstanding clients such as SIBAT (Ministry of Defense), IMI Systems, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Elbit Systems, Bet Shemesh Engines, Plasan, BIRD and many others. It also became a design partner in prestigious international projects: in 2009, it was selected to lead the design, construction and management of Israel's IAI - mega-pavilion at the Paris Air Show, cementing its reputation across Israel's defense industries. In April and May of this year alone, the company is simultaneously managing seven projects for IAI and three for the Ministry of Defense in Singapore, Tokyo and Athens.

A Step Back to Leap Forward
Assaf had turned crisis into opportunity, but design talent and optimism were not enough to run a growing company. "At heart, I'm a designer guided by intuition and emotion," he admits. "I knew I needed help." He hired a professional mentor and consultant who worked with him for a decade, helping him develop the leadership and management skills, which "shaped me into a CEO who could steer the company forward."

It also led him to Ron Zilberman, now COO and Assaf's business partner. "Ron didn't just join the team, he became our growth engine," acknowledges Assaf. "He brought deep operational insight and strategic focus, helping scale the business dramatically and break into new markets. Together, we merged vision and creativity with stability and drive, which resulted in a sixfold increase in company revenue over the next decade.Since Ron joined Netto Design House in 2014, the company hasn't stopped growing, even during global crises."

What Sets You Apart?
"In addition to serving the defense sector, we specialize in print, broadcasting, tech and cyber booths, national pavilions for the Israel Export Institute, large-scale installation's for Israel's Foreign Ministry and, of course, projects involving artificial intelligence," says Assaf. "Each of these demands innovative thinking and custom solutions, and we're proud of our ability to turn complex ideas into vivid, interactive breathing spaces."

From Temporary Installations to Lasting Impact
As time passed, Assaf and Zilberman began to feel a creative gap. "We were building massive, emotional experiences, and see them dismantled days later," recalls Assaf. "The Paris Air Show, which we'd been doing annually since 2009, investing hundreds of thousands of dollars, gets torn down within a week. Even unique, one-off creations like the 70 Years of Israel exhibit at the United Nations in New York vanished overnight.
Creating something meaningful and lasting fuelled Netto Design House's next move. The company expanded into to fields where design remains visible, such as museums, visitor centers and commercial architecture. "It was a natural progression," says Assaf. "These are places where design engages audiences continuously rather than momentarily, allowing us to craft deeper experiences."
Today, these domains are central to Netto Design House's identity. Whether working within large consortiums or leading complex projects end-to-end, the company is trusted with managing design, specifications, visual identity and execution across tight timelines and budgets. Its notable projects include ISRAEL Expo 2015 in Milan, Two Permanent Exhibitions in Beersheba's Science Museun, the Migdal Group's 2,000-square meter training campus, the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange visitor center and Yedioth Ahronoth's visitor center.

Netto Design House often leads entire projects in and outside Israel, from their conceptualization through planning, graphic design and full implementation SIBAT visitor center, Women's House in a historic building in Petah Tikva, Beit Rishonim Museum in Ness Tziona, Kornit Digital visitor centers in New Jersey, London and Düsseldorf, Simulation centers for Elbit Land and IAI production site experiences.

The company has also shaped the retail sector, designing everything from fashion stores to car showrooms, including the launch of Lynk & Co's brand in Jerusalem, Haifa, and Rishon LeZion. "Of course there's competition," says Assaf. "But no one else does it all like we do — exhibitions, architecture, content, digital experience, graphic design and full-scale production. That's what makes us real partners rather than service providers."

A Pioneering Collaboration
In 2018, Netto Design House entered a groundbreaking collaboration with Diskin company , resulting in remarkable global events. Among them are ISRALIGHT at the Grand Palais with Israel's Prime Minister, the country's Ambassador to France and the French President; Israel's 70th anniversary innovation showcase; the Israel Pavilion at Expo Shanghai; Rafael's visitor center at the Leshem Institute; the Ashdod Municipality visitor center; and, most recently, Israel's first SPORT museum at the Sammy Ofer Stadium in Haifa.

Resilience in Crisis
"Four years before the COVID pandemic, our wish for lasting impact led our expansion into commercial architecture," says Assaf. "When the pandemic hit, that decision proved vital. It kept us active and relevant, as the world stood still. When exhibitions shut down and borders closed, we were deep into some of our biggest projects — Rafael's complex visitor center at Leshem was one of them. And because we work with defense industries that continue exhibiting globally under almost all conditions, we kept operating even as many sectors froze. COVID was a challenge but it was also a confirmation that our long-term strategy was right."

Do You See Your Role as a Kind of Diplomacy?
"Absolutely!" responds Assaf. "There are moments when you realize you're not just designing a booth, you're representing your country."

He describes lighting memorial candles at a defense expo in Bangkok, where Netto Design House was building massive booths for Elbit Land and IAI less than a month after the October 7 2023 attack. "With Israel's flag proudly flying behind me, it felt like a true act of national representation," says Assaf. "Whether in Asia, Europe, the Americas or Australia, we carry Israel's aesthetic and ethical identity with pride. It's not always easy, and we've faced anti-Israel protests, but It's never disrupted our work. To the contrary.It deepens our resolve."

What's Next?
"We're in the midst of several fascinating projects that reflect how far we've come," says Assaf. "One is a combined lobby/visitor center that we're building for Elbit Land in Yokneam, fusing physical, digital and narrative experience. Another is the redesign of the Israel Police Academy in Beit Shemesh. Through smart design, digital content and immersive experience, we want every police officer, rookie and veteran, to feel pride, identity and purpose, to feel they belong to a forward-thinking, ethical, and technologically advanced society.

Whatever we build, our goal is always the same: to distil the client's story into a living, breathing space. Aesthetics matter, but emotion and human connection matter more. We want every project to stay with visitors long after they leave."

Dream Design Deliver
"I want to give back," says Asaf. "I'm completing a business mentoring course to support the next generation of designers as my mentor did me, helping others who face the same challenges I did.
"Our dream is always to stay in motion," Assaf concludes. "We've never stopped growing, exploring or reimagining what design can be. With our experience, our team and our passion, we're ready for the next chapter of turning dreams into reality."

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In collaboration with Netto Design House