Paddy Cosgrave, the CEO and co-founder of Web Summit, a highly anticipated annual tech conference, has resigned from his position following controversy surrounding his comments on the Israel-Hamas war. The controversy led to the cancellation of attendance by major tech giants including Alphabet (parent company of Google), Meta (formerly known as Facebook), and Amazon.
In a statement on Saturday, Cosgrave expressed his regret, stating, “Unfortunately, my personal comments have become a distraction from the event, and our team, our sponsors, our startups, and the people who attend.” He acknowledged that his remarks had caused significant disruptions.
Earlier in the week, Cosgrave took to social media to voice his personal opposition to Israel’s counterattacks in Gaza. His tweet on X (formerly known as Twitter) stated, “To repeat: War crimes are war crimes even when committed by allies & should be called out for what they are. I will not relent.”
Following this post, high-profile attendees such as Meta, Alphabet, and Amazon decided to withdraw their participation from this year’s Web Summit. The conference is scheduled to take place from November 13 to November 16 in Lisbon, Portugal.
The day after his tweet, Cosgrave issued an apology on Web Summit’s blog, acknowledging the hurt caused by the timing of his comments. He stated, “What is needed at this time is compassion, and I did not convey that.”
Cosgrave’s resignation comes as a result of the backlash he faced for his comments, highlighting the need for sensitivity and professionalism when addressing highly sensitive geopolitical issues.
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