Susan Wojcicki, CEO of YouTube, has announced her resignation from the streaming video service. Wojcicki, who has been with Alphabet for nearly 25 years, stated that she is embarking on “a new chapter focused on my family, health, and personal projects I’m passionate about.”
Wojcicki has been with Google almost since its inception. Larry Page and Sergey Brin, the company’s founders, set up an office in her parent’s garage shortly after incorporating Google in 1998. The following year, Wojcicki was named Google’s first marketing manager.
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She was involved in the early Google Doodles, co-founded Google Image Search, and was the first product manager of AdSense (one of Google’s key advertising programmes).
She persuaded Google to acquire YouTube, which had debuted a year before. Wojcicki took over YouTube eight years later, becoming one of the few women to lead a major technology company.
During Wojcicki’s tenure, YouTube grew in importance within Google and Alphabet. Last quarter, the platform’s ad revenue alone accounted for more than 10% of the company’s total revenue.
Of course, Wojcicki’s tenure as YouTube CEO has not been without challenges. The platform has long struggled with issues of moderation, including hate speech and misinformation.
Wojcicki, for her part, made a point of listening to YouTube creators and users and directly addressing their concerns.
In her farewell letter, Wojcicki stated that her de facto deputy, Neal Mohan, will take over as YouTube’s new CEO. Mohan joined Google in 2007 after Google acquired ad company DoubleClick.
He went on to become YouTube’s Chief Product Officer in 2015, where he was instrumental in the launch of YouTube TV, YouTube Music, Premium, and Shorts. Mohan was also in charge of the service’s trust and safety team.
Intriguingly, Wojcicki said Mohan will be senior vice president and head of YouTube, rather than CEO. “With all we’re doing across 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,” Wojcicki wrote.
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She won’t be leaving YouTube immediately. “In the short term, 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,” she wrote.
Wojcicki will still be involved with Google and Alphabet moving forward, as she’ll serve as an advisor. “This will allow me to call on my different experiences over the years to offer counsel and guidance across Google and the portfolio of Alphabet companies,” she noted.
