YouTube Icon Susan Wojcicki Passes Away at 56, Leaving a Legacy of Innovation and Leadership
Sunday, Aug 11, 2024 5:00 am ET
1min read GOOGL --
Susan Wojcicki, the former CEO of YouTube and a prominent figure in Google's history, succumbed to lung cancer at the age of 56 on August 9th. The news was announced by her husband, Dennis Troper, through social media, where he mentioned that Wojcicki had been battling non-small cell lung cancer for two years.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai expressed his condolences, lauding Wojcicki as a cornerstone of Google's history. Pichai reinforced her legacy in an internal letter to Google employees, highlighting her contributions such as advocating for parental leave, making her the first female employee at Google to take maternity leave.
Susan Wojcicki, who was often referred to as "the most important Google person you've never heard of," had a significant impact during her time at Google. Since 2011, she had been repeatedly listed in Forbes' "World's 100 Most Powerful Women." Born in 1968, Wojcicki had an illustrious academic background with degrees from Harvard University, UC Santa Cruz, and UCLA's Anderson School of Management. Before joining Google, she also held roles at Intel and served as a management consultant at Bain & Company and R.B. Webber & Company.
Her most notable contribution to Google began in 1998 when she rented her garage to Google's founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin. The following year, she officially joined Google as its 16th employee and the company's first marketing manager. During her tenure, she played a pivotal role in the development of AdSense and Google Analytics, both of which were instrumental in Google's revenue model.
Wojcicki was also the driving force behind Google's acquisition of YouTube in 2006—a decision initially met with skepticism but which ultimately proved to be a monumental success. Under her leadership, YouTube became one of the world's largest video-sharing platforms. Additionally, she successfully spearheaded Google's acquisition of DoubleClick, solidifying Google's dominance in the online advertising industry.
In 2014, Wojcicki became the CEO of YouTube and continued to serve in this role for nine years, stepping down in early 2023 to focus on her family and health. However, she continued to serve as an advisor for YouTube.
Wojcicki's death prompted an outpouring of tributes from industry leaders, including Apple CEO Tim Cook and Google's own Sundar Pichai, who acknowledged her extensive contributions to the tech world. Her passing marks a significant loss for the industry, highlighting her role as an influential leader and innovator.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai expressed his condolences, lauding Wojcicki as a cornerstone of Google's history. Pichai reinforced her legacy in an internal letter to Google employees, highlighting her contributions such as advocating for parental leave, making her the first female employee at Google to take maternity leave.
Susan Wojcicki, who was often referred to as "the most important Google person you've never heard of," had a significant impact during her time at Google. Since 2011, she had been repeatedly listed in Forbes' "World's 100 Most Powerful Women." Born in 1968, Wojcicki had an illustrious academic background with degrees from Harvard University, UC Santa Cruz, and UCLA's Anderson School of Management. Before joining Google, she also held roles at Intel and served as a management consultant at Bain & Company and R.B. Webber & Company.
Her most notable contribution to Google began in 1998 when she rented her garage to Google's founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin. The following year, she officially joined Google as its 16th employee and the company's first marketing manager. During her tenure, she played a pivotal role in the development of AdSense and Google Analytics, both of which were instrumental in Google's revenue model.
Wojcicki was also the driving force behind Google's acquisition of YouTube in 2006—a decision initially met with skepticism but which ultimately proved to be a monumental success. Under her leadership, YouTube became one of the world's largest video-sharing platforms. Additionally, she successfully spearheaded Google's acquisition of DoubleClick, solidifying Google's dominance in the online advertising industry.
In 2014, Wojcicki became the CEO of YouTube and continued to serve in this role for nine years, stepping down in early 2023 to focus on her family and health. However, she continued to serve as an advisor for YouTube.
Wojcicki's death prompted an outpouring of tributes from industry leaders, including Apple CEO Tim Cook and Google's own Sundar Pichai, who acknowledged her extensive contributions to the tech world. Her passing marks a significant loss for the industry, highlighting her role as an influential leader and innovator.