Katherine Maher is The New CEO of Web Summit
Katherine Maher, the former CEO of the Wikimedia Foundation, has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer of Web Summit, the world’s largest tech event. She is recognized for her ability to bridge the worlds of technology, humanity, and dialogue to shape the future. Katherine is tasked with leading Web Summit through a transition period, focusing on the company’s mission to connect people and ideas that can change the world.
While at the Wikimedia Foundation, Katherine led the global nonprofit responsible for Wikipedia, a platform with over 1 billion monthly users. Under her leadership, she brought unprecedented success to the Wikimedia movement and solidified Wikipedia’s reputation as a trusted source of free knowledge worldwide.
Katherine also holds positions as the Chair of the messaging platform Signal Messenger, a non-resident Senior Fellow on Democracy and Technology at the Atlantic Council, and a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations. She is recognized as a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader and a security fellow at the Truman National Security Project.
Web Summit is also pleased to announce the appointment of Damian Kimmelman as a non-executive board director. Damian is a renowned technology leader and innovator who has co-founded several successful companies and organizations in the US and Europe. These include ed-tech startup Batelle.com, nonprofit FoundersPledge.com, business bank Rho.co, and business data provider DueDil.com, now Fullcircl.
Web Summit 2023 is scheduled to take place from November 13-15 and will include a diverse program with various stages, competitions, investor meetings, masterclasses, roundtables, and Mentor Hours. Night Summit events will allow attendees to network after-hours in different neighbourhoods in Lisbon.
The event will showcase a global diversity of perspectives and experiences, with over 2,600 startups, including a significant number founded by women, from more than 85 countries. They will join over 800 investors, 300 partners, and 2,000 media representatives from 160-plus countries. Web Summit’s community initiatives, such as those supporting women in tech, aim to achieve gender parity.
Photo Credits: David Fitzgerald/Web Summit via Sportsfile
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