Keynote Speaker Jimmy Wales

Basic information about

Jimmy Wales is a founder of Wikipedia. He is not just another successful internet businessman; he also is a powerful visionary. He is motivated by a strong faith and a firm conviction to do things that seem impossible at first.

“Imagine a world in which every single person on the planet is given free access to the sum of all human knowledge. That’s what we’re doing.” Today the website Wikipedia.org is long-term positioned as one of the five most searched and visited sites on the internet.  It has millions and millions of entries and runs in more than 250 languages.

Jimmy Wales’s career

2017 – present Founder & CEO of WikiTribune; London – UK

2004 – present Owner of Wikia, Inc.

2003 – present Board member of Wikimedia Foundation  

2014 – 2015 Executive Chairman at The People’s Operator

2001 – 2007 Founder of Wikipedia

Currently, Jimmy sits on the Board of Trustees of the Wikimedia Foundation. He also is a principal spokesperson for the brand.

Jimmy Wales was born in Alabama, on 7 August 1966. Jimmy had an early passion for education and knowledge, gaining both a Bachelors and a Masters degree in Finance by the time he graduated from university.

Wikipedia

In January 2001, Jimmy launched Wikipedia.org. He got inspiration from the internet and its endless opportunities. His purpose was to create a collaborative, open-sourced network of information.

Wikimedia Foundation

In 2003, Jimmy Wales founded the Wikimedia Foundation, which is a non-profit organization that could help to promote fundraising, technology, and programming for its now enormously growing sister company.

Wikia

However, Jimmy didn’t stop here. He established Wikia.Inc by 2004. This decision was supporting Jimmy’s vision for an online network of communities, which runs on content created by consumers themselves. Currently, this network draws over 30 million unique visitors per month.

Jimmy Wales’s beliefs

His pioneering philosophy has made him a respected entrepreneur and a digital visionary. In 2005, Jimmy was appointed a Member of the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard Law School. A year after Jimmy got the ‘Time 100 Award’ as one of the most influential personalities in the ‘Scientists & Thinkers’ category.

Awards

The World Economist Forum gave him as a ‘Young Global Leader’ in 2007. It is a prestigious prize that recognizes 250 young leaders for their commitment to society, their professional successes,  and their potential to make an impact on transforming the world’s future.