Susan Wojcicki, one of Google’s first employees and the CEO of YouTube, is leaving the tech giant. Wojcicki has been with Google for nearly 25 years, beginning as the company’s 16th employee. She will be succeeded as CEO in April by Neal Mohan, a long-time YouTube executive.
Wojcicki is stepping down as CEO of YouTube to join Google and Alphabet as an advisor. In a statement, Wojcicki said that she’s “excited to step back from day-to-day operations and focus on the big picture.” She added that she’s “confident in Neal’s ability to lead the company to even greater heights.”
“I plan to support Neal and help with the transition, which will include continuing to work with some YouTube teams, coaching team members, and meeting with creators,” Wojcicki continued. “With all we’re doing across [YouTube] Shorts, streaming and subscriptions, together with the promises of AI, YouTube’s most exciting opportunities are ahead, and Neal is the right person to lead us,” she added.
Many in the industry are surprised by Wojcicki’s departure. Wojcicki, who was previously senior vice president for ad products at Google before becoming CEO of YouTube in 2014, oversaw significant growth at the video-sharing platform, with revenues doubling to $30 billion over the past five years. Wojcicki is widely credited with propelling YouTube into new areas such as livestreaming and original content.
The sources for this piece include an article in Reuters.