Wednesday, 24 January 2024, Bengaluru, India
There are moments when technology advances faster than light. Executives in technology can also do this. Web Summit revealed today, shockingly, that Katherine Maher, who was appointed under duress to the position of CEO and chairperson of the events company only until the end of October 2023, is leaving the position to accept a new position as CEO of National Public Radio, the nonprofit media organization in the United States.
(Image Source: https://www.rte.ie/)
Maher had taken up the position at Web Summit during a crisis. Paddy Cosgrave, the creator of Web Summit, was essentially compelled to quit his dual post just weeks before the company’s leading event in Lisbon due to comments he made denouncing Israel in the hours and days following Hamas’s initial attacks on civilians in the nation. After the comments went viral, some well-known individuals and organizations decided not to attend the event.
Given that Maher’s appointment was made to stabilize the organization following Cosgrave’s retirement, her abrupt departure could be interpreted as ironic. Although Cosgrave no longer has an executive or operational position in the parent firm, he still owns 80%.
“I have loved leading the Web Summit team,” Maher stated in a statement by Web Summit. I’ve witnessed the teams’ tenacity, enthusiasm, and inventiveness in producing extraordinary events for the public, even in a brief amount of time. Although sad to leave, I am excited to engage with the executive team through 2024 and beyond as Chair, making a different contribution.
Although some might argue it’s not steering far enough away from the turmoil of last autumn, Web Summit is making this step as it attempts to conduct its business in a new area. In less than a month, Web Summit will have its first conference in Doha, Qatar, on February 26.
In theory, Maher will continue to lead Web Summit through the end of the conference before officially retiring on March 1. A spokesman for Web Summit stated that she will continue as non-executive chair of the board once she leaves.
The NPR offer came “out of the blue,” according to a source who wished to remain anonymous, which could help to explain Maher’s incredibly brief employment. According to them, Maher felt she “couldn’t turn down” the offer because of NPR’s prominence in the US and her experience with free information. It had “happened quickly.”
NPR, boasting 44 million weekly listeners, is among the media entities vying for audience attention during a pivotal US election year. In September 2023, John Lansing, the former CEO of NPR, announced his departure from the role, with the timing of Maher’s initial conversation with NPR remaining unclear.
Maher has a lengthy history of advocating for policies and technology, mainly digital and human rights. Before this, she served as the executive director and CEO of the Wikimedia Organization from 2019 to 2021. She also chairs the organization’s board that created the Signal private messaging app. She is also a member of several other boards and fellowships, such as the Truman National Security Project and the Atlantic Council.
Following Cosgrave’s comments on Twitter regarding Israel’s then-planned invasion of Hamas-held Gaza, several prominent tech executives, investors, and major corporations withdrew from last year’s conference, including Google/Alphabet, Meta, Intel, Amazon, and Stripe.
Founders Fund’s Keith Rabois, fintech investor and entrepreneur David Marcus, Y Combinator’s Garry Tan, Taboola’s Adam Singolda, and numerous others voiced their opposition to going.
The announcement of Maher’s departure, which occurred just two months after her employment, may further harm Web Summit’s reputation among sponsors and speakers. According to the firm, 12,000 people have already signed up for the Web Summit in Qatar, where Trevor Noah will be the featured speaker – at least for now. The April Web Summit Rio and its North American event Collision are still scheduled to occur.
Additionally, Web Summit disclosed that Craig Becker, the company’s chief events officer, had become an executive board director. After his four years as a director come to an end, he will take over as executive director on the board from Web Summit CMTO Mike Sexton.
(Information Source: Techcrunch.com)
