Paddy Cosgrave, the founder of international tech conference operator Web Summit, announced that he is resuming his position as the company's CEO. Cosgrave had previously stepped down from the management role after several sponsors pulled out in response to a slew of anti-Israel posts he shared during the Hamas invasion of Israel on October 7.
On X, Cosgrave posted, "When I stepped back last year, it was the first time I had taken time off in 15 years. It gave me time to think about Web Summit, its history, why I started it on my own from my bedroom and what I wanted it to be."
He hinted at his desire for the upcoming conference to be more personal and smaller. This might be in relation to the conference's reliance on major advertisers such as Amazon, Google, Siemens and Intel, whose departure as sponsors compelled him to leave his position.
Web Summit hosts numerous global technology conferences, with the most prominent and largest one in Lisbon, which has drawn more than 70,000 attendees in recent years.
A week following the Hamas attack on October 7 Cosgrave made a remark in a post on X, expressing his shock at the actions and rhetoric of many Western governments and leaders, with the exception of Ireland, who he felt had done the right thing. He further emphasized that "war crimes remain war crimes, even when perpetrated by allied forces, and they should be identified as such."
Cosgrave's comments drew criticism from notable figures in the Israeli tech industry. Adam Singolda, the founder of Taboola, responded by saying, "When mothers witness their children being burnt, it is not the time to be right."
Others, like Asaf Rapaport from Wize who was slated to speak at the conference, withdrew their participation. In response to the public outcry, Cosgrave apologized, condemned the Hamas assault, and affirmed his support for Israel's right to self-defense, but urged the country to adhere to international law.
He subsequently resigned from his role, asserting that his presence was causing excessive distraction. Katherine Maher, former CEO of Wikimedia, was appointed as the CEO by the Web Summit management, while Cosgrave maintained 80% ownership of the business. Maher's departure after three months to become the CEO of NPR paved the way for Cosgrave's return to his role.