Paddy Cosgrave, the co-founder of the Web Summit tech conference, is back at the helm as CEO after stepping down last year over controversy surrounding his comments on the Israel-Gaza war. Rumors of his return surfaced over the weekend and were recently confirmed by Cosgrave himself in a post on X.
“As Web Summit continues to grow, our goal is to make it feel smaller and more intimate for our attendees,” Cosgrave states in his announcement, noticeably omitting any mention of his previous political remarks that led to his resignation. He goes on to explain that the move towards smaller groups is intended to foster a more personal and community-focused atmosphere.
This shift in strategy echoes a similar move made by Mark Zuckerberg at Facebook following the social network’s involvement in the controversial 2016 US election. By catering to smaller groups, a larger entity such as a social network or event can better accommodate different agendas and opinions. It can also serve as a counterbalance to the primary focus of the business, such as the drive for growth and scale in the case of Web Summit.
Known for organizing global tech conferences, Web Summit‘s flagship event in Lisbon has attracted upwards of 70,000 attendees in recent years. The company also hosts smaller invite-only events under the brand F.ounders.
However, last year’s flagship event was embroiled in controversy when several major tech sponsors pulled out in response to Cosgrave’s comments. The backlash began after he posted data on X showing the human cost of the Israel-Palestine conflict, but omitted recent events and casualties. Cosgrave continued to defend his stance, including showing support for the Irish government’s criticism of Israel’s plans to cut off water and electricity to Gaza. This led to outcry from speakers and sponsors, particularly those based in Israel and the US.
As pressure mounted, Cosgrave apologized for any offense caused and resigned as CEO. The company quickly appointed Catherine Maher, CEO of Wikimedia, as his replacement, but she left just a few months later for another opportunity. This paved the way for Cosgrave to reclaim his CEO role, while retaining 80% ownership of Web Summit.
Now, with his return as CEO, it remains to be seen how Web Summit will continue to grow and evolve under Cosgrave’s leadership.
