Tech summit to hear Uber whistleblower testimony

LISBON - A lobbyist who leaked thousands of compromising documents on Uber will on Wednesday detail his efforts to bring change to one of the world's leading companies at an annual tech summit in Lisbon.

Revelations in July from Mark MacGann, who led Uber's lobbying efforts in Europe between 2014 and 2016, led to widespread accusations that the ride-hailing app had broken the law -- allegations the firm denied.

Reports based on his leaks alleged the company had obstructed justice and sent drivers to protests without concern for their safety, though Uber denied this and said the accusations were outdated.

MacGann will appear on the first full day of the Web Summit, an annual tech conference that kicked off on Tuesday night with a plea from Ukraine's first lady for IT workers to use their skills to save lives rather than end them.

The Web Summit brings together start-ups, investors, business leaders and agenda-broadening speakers –- linguist Noam Chomsky and heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk are among this year's line-up.

Organisers said all 70,000 tickets had been sold for the first full-scale edition since coronavirus restrictions halted in-person gatherings in 2020.

Although most major tech firms are represented, the most senior Silicon Valley figures rarely appear at such events any more.

Some attendees were happy with the lower-key approach at a conference that has previously seen the likes of Elon Musk show up.

The Web Summit comes at a time when the tech industry as a whole faces huge difficulties.

Firms are being roiled by supply chain problems, trade disputes between the US and China, plunging profits and creaky business models, and a wider economic slump that has sent investors and consumers fleeing.

Event organiser Paddy Cosgrave is keen to show that the event does not shy away from those issues, highlighting the platform it gives to critics and whistleblowers.