The announcement of the new executive president was made on the technology summit's website.

American Katherine Maher led the Wikimedia Foundation, the global non-profit organisation behind Wikipedia, for five years.

In the information available on the Web Summit website, it is highlighted that during her tenure Katherine Maher brought “unprecedented success to the Wikimedia movement and helped solidify Wikipedia’s reputation as a reliable source of free knowledge around the world”.

Management also announced that it has appointed Damian Kimmelman as a non-executive director of Web Summit.

Kimmelman has co-founded several companies and organisations in the United States and Europe, including the startup Batelle and the nonprofit FoundersPledge.com.

“I am excited to participate in the Web Summit because I believe in the mission of connecting people and ideas that change the world. […] Our immediate task is to promote dialogue between everyone linked to technological advancement”, said Katherine Maher, quoted in the note published on the technology summit page.

The Web Summit will take place in Lisbon from the 13th to the 16th of November, with 2,600 startups and around 70 thousand participants expected.

Paddy Cosgrave resigned from his position after several companies cancelled their participation in the event, following statements he made about Israel.