Flickr CC image courtesy of Thierry Ehrmann
WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange will headline this year’s Net Prophet conference in Cape Town on May 21, sharing his insights on the future of the internet.
Assange co-founded WikiLeaks in 2006 after dropping out of Melbourne University where he studied mathematics.
The organisation rose to prominence in 2010 when it published United States government and military documents leaked by Chelsea Manning.
Facing extradition to Sweden, Assange took refuge at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London in 2012 and has remained there ever since.
He will be conducting a live conference interview at Net Prophet via mobile communications platform WeChat.
“In my role as WikiLeaks editor, I’ve been involved in fighting off many legal attacks,” said Assange. “To do that, and keep our sources safe, we have had to spread assets, encrypt everything, and move telecommunications and people around the world to activate protective laws in different national jurisdictions.”
He will be joined by numerous global speakers to discuss entrepreneurship and online innovation, such as vice president of marketing at eBay Jody Ford, founder of Ogilvy London’s Digital Innovation Lab Nicole Yershon and founder and group chief executive officer (CEO) of Quirk Rob Stokes.
