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☆ CEO of Web Summit says predecessor's remarks on Israel and Hamas are 'not my comments'
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-29 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailCEO of Web Summit says predecessor's remarks on Israel and Hamas are 'not my comments'Katherine Maher, CEO of Web Summit, discusses her predecessor Paddy Cosgrave's comments on Israel and Hamas, saying they "do not represent the company as a whole."

Persons: predecessor's, Katherine Maher, Paddy Cosgrave's Organizations: Web Locations: Israel

☆ Sam Altman says tech world 'should be united' in supporting Muslim colleagues
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-05 | by ( Sarah Jackson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

He says Jewish tech workers like himself have had more support from the industry. Altman added that he sees "much less of that" for his Muslim and Palestinian peers. AdvertisementOpenAI CEO Sam Altman says Palestinian tech workers he's spoken with don't feel free to express themselves because they fear it may hurt their careers. One commenter asked, "How are the Jewish colleagues?" Apple deleted Slack messages from employees about the war before pausing dedicated Slack channels for Muslim and Jewish employees, Business Insider's Ashley Stewart previously reported.

Persons: Sam Altman, Altman, —, Business Insider's Ashley Stewart, Paddy Cosgrave, Israel, Cosgrave Organizations: Service, Twitter, Business, Google, Web, Intel, Stripe Locations: Israel, Gaza, Palestinian, Irish, Europe

Cosgrave resigned as CEO last month, saying his personal comments on the conflict had become a distraction from Web Summit 2023 in Lisbon. Web Summit appointed former Wikimedia Foundation CEO Katherine Maher as the chief executive. The Web Summit said more than 300 of its partners were coming to the event and that some "who were deliberating have come back on board and reversed their decision". The event attracts about 70,000 participants every year, drawing speakers from global tech companies and startups, as well as politicians. Reporting by Catarina Demony and Miguel Pereira; Editing by Andrei Khalip and Angus MacSwanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Paddy Cosgrave, Cosgrave, Katherine Maher, Maher, Gonzalo Calvo, Chelsea Manning, Kuo Zhang, Catarina Demony, Miguel Pereira, Andrei Khalip, Angus MacSwan Organizations: Web, Palestinian, Hamas, Google, Meta, Siemens, Web Summit, Wikimedia, Reuters, Ellanoor, WikiLeaks, Thomson Locations: LISBON, Lisbon, Israel, Irish, Gaza, Netherlands, Spanish

☆ A tech investor was fired after making offensive remarks on the Israel-Hamas conflict
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Shona Ghosh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Investor Kenneth Ballenegger was suspended from his firm Oyster Ventures after offensive posts on X.Ballenegger wrote on X that Israel should sterilize Gaza's population, among other remarks. AdvertisementAdvertisementVenture capitalist Kenneth Ballenegger has been suspended from the US investment firm he cofounded, Oyster Ventures, after making offensive remarks on X on the Israel-Hamas conflict. According to screenshots shared with Insider, Ballenegger wrote on Sunday: "After the war, Israel should handle Gaza like China handles Xinjiang. "Any employee's personal or political opinion does not reflect the values of Oyster Ventures or myself. The blowback over Ballenegger's comments also reflect ongoing tensions in the tech world.

Persons: Kenneth Ballenegger, Ballenegger, sterilize, —, Yashar Ali, Ballenegger's, Sophie Liao, Liao, I've, Bolt, Dealroom, Crypto, Paddy Cosgrave Organizations: Oyster Ventures, Service, Ventures, Summit Locations: Israel, Gaza, China, Xinjiang, San Francisco, Asia, Pitchbook

☆ Web Summit appoints new CEO after predecessor quit over Israel-Hamas comments
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

DUBLIN, Oct 30 (Reuters) - Web Summit has appointed former Wikimedia Foundation CEO Katherine Maher as chief executive following the resignation of Paddy Cosgrave, whose comments on the Israel-Hamas conflict prompted some companies to withdraw from an upcoming conference. Cosgrave, who founded Web Summit, resigned as CEO earlier this month, saying his personal comments on the conflict had become a distraction from Web Summit 2023 in Lisbon, one of the world's largest tech conferences, which is due to start on Nov. 13. "In recent weeks Web Summit has been at the centre of the conversation, rather than the host. "Today Web Summit is entering its next phase." Maher led Wikimedia Foundation, the global nonprofit behind Wikipedia, for five years and is chair of messaging platform Signal Messenger, a Web Summit statement said.

Persons: Katherine Maher, Paddy Cosgrave, Cosgrave, Maher, Cosgrove, Conor Humphries, Louise Heavens, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: DUBLIN, Summit, Wikimedia, Wikimedia Foundation, Palestinian, Hamas, Thomson Locations: Israel, Lisbon, Gaza

☆ A CEO resigned after making remarks on Israel. He's a case study in failing to read the room.
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Web Summit's CEO quit after appearing to accuse Israel of "war crimes," triggering backlash online. In his first post on the subject, Cosgrave seemed to accuse Israel of war crimes. "War crimes are war crimes even when committed by allies, and should be called out for what they are." Proceed with cautionMany of the high-profile CEOs who have commented on the conflict so far have explicitly condemned Hamas and supported Israel. "If you have no connection to Israel, what is the point in mouthing off about political issues now?"

Persons: Execs, Israel, —, Paddy Cosgrave, Cosgrave, I'm, Ireland's, Bill Kissane, Google's, Paul Argenti, Argenti Organizations: Service, Intel, Web, The London School of Economics, Political, Britain, Palestinian Liberation Organization, Web Summit, Google, Microsoft, Siemens, Israel, Tuck School of Business Locations: Israel, Lisbon, Ireland, Northern Ireland, mouthing

☆ Web Summit CEO Paddy Cosgrave resigns after backlash to Israel-Hamas war comments
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-21 | by ( Eva Rothenberg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Paddy Cosgrave, the chief executive of Web Summit, stepped down Saturday after several Big Tech companies withdrew from the company’s upcoming annual technology conference over his comments on the Israel-Hamas war. On Tuesday, Cosgrave posted a nearly 600-word statement on Web Summit’s blog to apologize and clarify his stance. A spokesperson for Web Summit told CNN that the company will appoint a new CEO as soon as possible. “Web Summit 2023 in Lisbon will go ahead as planned,” the spokesperson added. Cosgrave, 41, co-founded Web Summit in 2009 with David Kelly and Daire Hickey.

Persons: CNN — Paddy Cosgrave, ” Cosgrave, “, ”, Cosgrave, unreservedly, David Kelly, Daire Hickey Organizations: CNN, Web, Big Tech, Ministry of Health, Amnesty, Google, Siemens, Amazon, Web Summit Locations: Israel, Gaza, Geneva, Lisbon

☆ Web Summit CEO Paddy Cosgrave steps down in wake of controversy over his Israel comments
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-21 | by ( Lakshmi Varanasi | Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Paddy Cosgrave, the CEO of Web Summit, announced Saturday he's stepping down immediately. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. AdvertisementAdvertisementPaddy Cosgrave, the CEO of Web Summit, said Saturday he was resigning with immediate effect. The conference — one of Europe's biggest tech events — is to take place November 13 to 16 in Lisbon, with 70,000 delegates, a Web Summit spokesperson previously told Insider. A representative said a new CEO would be appointed as soon as possible and that the conference would proceed as planned.

Persons: Paddy Cosgrave, Cosgrave, — Organizations: Web Summit, Service, Web, Intel, Siemens Locations: Israel, Geneva, Lisbon

☆ Web Summit CEO resigns after apologizing for Israel-Hamas war comments
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-21 | by ( Rebecca Picciotto | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Paddy Cosgrave, the CEO and co-founder of annual tech conference Web Summit, has resigned from his post after coming under fire for his comments on the Israel-Hamas war, leading Big Tech guests like Alphabet , Meta and Amazon to cancel their attendance. "Unfortunately, my personal comments have become a distraction from the event, and our team, our sponsors, our startups and the people who attend," Cosgrave said in a statement on Saturday. This year's conference is scheduled for Nov. 13 to Nov. 16 and is set to take place in Lisbon, Portugal. The day after he posted on X, Cosgrave issued an apology on Web Summit's blog, saying he understood that the timing of his comments "caused profound hurt." "What is needed at this time is compassion, and I did not convey that," Cosgrave said in the apology.

Persons: Paddy Cosgrave, Cosgrave Organizations: Big Tech Locations: Israel, Gaza, Lisbon, Portugal

NEW YORK (AP) — Paddy Cosgrave, the chief executive officer of a prominent European tech conference called Web Summit, resigned from his role on Saturday amid backlash for his public statements that suggested Israel was committing war crimes. A spokesperson for Web Summit, which organizes one of the world's largest tech conferences every year, said in an e-mailed statement sent to The Associated Press that it will appoint a new CEO, and the conference will go ahead next month in Lisbon as planned. Jewish groups have criticized tepid responses or slow reactions to the Oct. 7 Hamas rampage that killed 1,400 people in Israel and triggered the latest war. ”“War crimes are war crimes even when committed by allies, and should be called out for what they are,” he added. not commit war crimes.

Persons: — Paddy Cosgrave, Israel, Cosgrave, ” “, ”, Cosgrave’s, Anne Organizations: Web, Associated Press, Hamas, Intel, Meta, Google Locations: Lisbon, Irish, Israel, Gaza, Geneva

☆ Web Summit CEO resigns after recent comments on Israeli conflict
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Web Summit's CEO Paddy Cosgrave talks on a stage during the opening of the Web Summit technology conference, in Rio de Janeiro Brazil May 1, 2023. REUTERS/Ricardo Moraes/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsOct 21 (Reuters) - Web Summit Chief Executive and founder Paddy Cosgrave on Saturday resigned after comments he made on the Israeli-Hamas conflict prompted some technology companies and investors to withdraw plans to attend its conference in Portugal next month. "Unfortunately, my personal comments have become a distraction from the event, and our team, our sponsors, our startups and the people who attend," Cosgrave said in a statement. Reporting by Maria Ponnezhath in BengaluruOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Paddy Cosgrave, Ricardo Moraes, Cosgrave, Maria Ponnezhath Organizations: Rio de Janeiro Brazil, REUTERS, Thomson Locations: Rio de Janeiro, Portugal, Bengaluru

☆ Web Summit Chief Steps Down Over Israel Remarks
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-21 | by ( Michael J. De La Merced | More About Michael J. De La Merced | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

The chief executive of Web Summit, one of Europe’s biggest technology conferences, stepped down on Saturday after major sponsors and speakers withdrew from the event, set for next month, following backlash over his public criticism of Israel’s response to the Hamas attacks. “I sincerely apologize again for any hurt I have caused.”A spokeswoman for Web Summit said that the organization aimed to appoint a new chief executive as soon as possible. Web Summit said on Friday that it expected about 70,000 people to attend, about the same as last year. Among those to drop out were Ravi Gupta, a partner at Sequoia Capital, and Garry Tan, the chief executive of the technology incubator Y Combinator. But by Tuesday, he published an apology on Web Summit’s site in which he said he defended “Israel’s right to exist and to defend itself.”

Persons: Paddy Cosgrave, —, ”, “, Cosgrave’s, Ravi Gupta, Garry Tan, Cosgrave Organizations: Web, Google, Intel, Meta, Siemens, Web Summit, Western, Sequoia Capital Locations: Irish, Lisbon, Israel

Company bosses have vowed never to hire members of a university's student groups that condemned Israel. The fallout from the Israel-Hamas war has spilled into workplaces everywhere, as top leaders of prominent companies weigh in with their views while workers complain their voices are not being heard. Starbucks filed a lawsuit to stop Starbucks Workers United from using its name and a similar logo. Workers United, the parent union of Starbucks Workers United, responded with its own lawsuit saying Starbucks defamed the union by implying it supports terrorism. Starbucks Workers United tweeted a longer message on Friday denouncing Israel’s “occupation” and “threats of genocide Palestinians face” while also condemning antisemitism and Islamophobia.

Persons: Israel, J.P Morgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, Albert Bourla, Pfizer, ” Bourla, Paddy Cosgrave, “, David Marcus, Cosgrave, Jonathan Neman, Winston, Strawn, Isra, Abuhasna, Israel’s, Angela Berg, Perelaks, Berg, Julie Sweet, David, Allison Grinberg, Funes, didn't, ”, Grinberg, Dee, Ann Durbin Organizations: Starbucks, Company, Hamas, U.S, Google, Pfizer, Summit, Siemens, Intel, Harvard, New York University, Student Bar Association, Islamic Relations, Palestinian, Starbucks Workers, . Workers United, Starbucks Workers United, Accenture, Associated Press, Liberty Mutual, Israel . Liberty Mutual Locations: Israel, Gaza, Chicago, Palestinian American, U.S, Palestine, Boston, Funes

☆ Sponsors are backing out of the tech conference Web Summit after backlash over the founder's comments on Israel
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Major tech giants Intel and Siemens have pulled out as sponsors of the Web Summit conference. Siemens told Insider that it's not attending due to "recent developments surrounding Web Summit." AdvertisementAdvertisementIntel and Siemens are pulling out as sponsors of Web Summit after its CEO and cofounder, Paddy Cosgrave, criticized the West's support for Israel, the companies confirmed to Insider. The multinational companies told Insider they're withdrawing from the European tech conference, which is set to take place in Lisbon next month. "Following recent developments surrounding Web Summit, we have reviewed the situation and determined that Siemens will not to attend in 2023," German tech firm Siemens told Insider in a statement Thursday.

Persons: it's, —, Paddy Cosgrave, I'm, Cosgrave Organizations: Intel, Siemens, Web, Service, Israel Locations: Israel, Lisbon

☆ CEO apologizes for Israel remarks after 4 days of backlash and conference dropouts
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Hasan Chowdhury | Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The founder of tech conference Web Summit apologized for "profound hurt" over his Israel remarks. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe founder of European tech conference Web Summit has apologized for the "profound hurt" caused by his comments criticizing the West's support for Israel, which triggered several high-profile withdrawals from the event. AdvertisementAdvertisementGil Dibner, general partner at Angular Ventures, said it was "a time that calls for moral clarity" after canceling his speaking engagement at Web Summit. Dropouts increased, and within 24 hours the number of Israel-based speakers at Web Summit dropped from at least five to zero, according to Insider analysis. Other speakers lined up for Web Summit include Meta's Nick Clegg, as well as comedian Amy Poehler and actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

Persons: Israel, Paddy Cosgrave, —, I'm, Garry Tan, Ravi Gupta, Cosgrave, State Anthony Blinken, Moshiel Biton, hadn't, Biton, Gil Dibner, Nick Clegg, Amy Poehler, Joseph Gordon, Levitt, Benjamin Netanyahu Organizations: Service, Israel, Sequoia Capital, State, Web, Angular Ventures, Web Summit, Hamas, West Bank Locations: Gaza, Hamas, Lisbon, Portugal, Israel

☆ Web Summit CEO apologises for comments on Israeli conflict
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

JERUSALEM, Oct 17 (Reuters) - Web Summit Chief Executive and founder Paddy Cosgrave on Tuesday apologised for comments he made on the Israeli-Hamas conflict that prompted some technology companies and investors to withdraw plans to attend its conference in Portugal next month. Web Summit, one of the world's largest tech conferences, will take place in Lisbon from Nov. 13-16, with attendees from companies such as Meta (META.O) and Microsoft (MSFT.O) to investors such as Atomico. "War crimes are war crimes even when committed by allies, and should be called out for what they are," wrote Cosgrave, who was born in Ireland. Among executives to have cancelled their participation at Web Summit are AI21 Labs' Ori Goshen; Tome's Keith Peiris; Sequoia Capital partner Ravi Gupta; Yinon Costica, co-founder of Israeli cybersecurity unicorn Wiz; and Y Combinator’s Garry Tan, according to LinkedIn and X posts. Philippe Botteri, CEO of tech investor Accel, said in a LinkedIn post on Monday he would no longer speak at Web Summit.

Persons: Paddy Cosgrave, Cosgrave, I’m, Leo Varadkar's, Israel, Cosgrove, Goshen, Tome's Keith Peiris, Ravi Gupta, Yinon Costica, Y, Garry Tan, Philippe Botteri, Portugal Dor Shapira, Steven Scheer, Supantha Mukherjee, Josephine Mason, Alison Williams, Mark Potter Organizations: Web, Microsoft, Palestinian, Hamas, Irish, AI21 Labs, Sequoia Capital, Thomson Locations: Portugal, Lisbon, Gaza, Israel, Ireland, Jerusalem, Stockholm, London

☆ Tech leaders are pulling out of a CEO's conference over remarks he made about Israel
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

"War crimes are war crimes even when committed by allies, and should be called out for what they are." War crimes are war crimes even when committed by allies, and should be called out for what they are. Israel's ambassador to Portugal, Dor Shapira, announced Monday that his country would no longer participate in the Web Summit conference as a result of Cosgrave's "outrageous statements." AdvertisementAdvertisement"We are saddened to hear that some Israelis in the tech community will no longer be attending Web Summit," a spokesperson said. "To repeat: War crimes are war crimes even when committed by allies & should be called out for what they are," Cosgrave wrote.

Persons: Israel, —, Paddy Cosgrave, I'm, Cosgrave, I’m, — Paddy Cosgrave, Dor Shapira, Shapira, Garry Tan, Y, Goshen, Ravi Gupta, Keith Peiris, Tome, Adam Singolda, David Marcus Organizations: Tech, Service, Web, AI21 Labs, Sequoia, PayPal, Web Summit, Hamas Locations: Europe, Israel, Irish, Lisbon, @paddycosgrave, Portugal, Goshen, Gaza, Palestinian

[1/2] An Ukrainian start-up desk is seen at the Web Summit, Europe's largest technology conference, in Lisbon, Portugal, November 2, 2022. REUTERS/Pedro NunesLISBON, Nov 4 (Reuters) - Ukrainian entrepreneurs brought a message of hope to this week's Web Summit in Lisbon, Europe's largest tech gathering that ended on Friday: the war has made them more resilient than ever. "Many more Ukrainians came to the Web Summit this time," he added, standing in front of the Ukrainian pavillion. Web Summit chief Paddy Cosgrave told Reuters last week 59 Ukrainian startups were at the 2022 event. "This is a good sign that the Ukrainian tech and startup ecosystem is developing even during a time of war," said Sobolenko.

Web Summit, the sector’s annual bash held in Lisbon, is doing the opposite. And the usual welter of tech companies, investors and celebrities are still milling around. That new strain of reality-based tech investing has a lot further to go, though. The relative lack of investor focus at Web Summit on new technologies that could really move the dial, such as ways to ease climate change, is striking. The sector, Smith told Breakingviews, will increasingly “influence what people talk about and who comes to Web Summit”.

[1/2] Ukraine's First Lady, Olena Zelenska, attends the opening event of Europe's largest tech conference, the Web Summit, in Lisbon, Portugal, November 1, 2022. REUTERS/Pedro NunesLISBON, Nov 1 (Reuters) - In an emotional appeal, Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelenska urged tech workers from around the world on Tuesday to create innovations to stop Russia and help save people in her war-torn country. Describing technology as a "battlefield" in the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Zelenska said that technological equipment such as drones and missiles were being used to "kill people," not to save them. Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's vice prime minister who also runs the ministry of digital transformation, will also speak. Reporting by Catarina Demony, Sergio Goncalves and Pedro Nunes in Lisbon Editing by Matthew LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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