Longtime YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki is stepping down. Wojcicki has been CEO of YouTube since 2014, and her history with Google dates back well over two decades.
A note from Wojcicki was sent to YouTube employees this morning and later posted on the YouTube blog. In the message, Wojcicki said, "after nearly 25 years here, I’ve decided to step back from my role as the head of YouTube and start a new chapter focused on my family, health, and personal projects I'm passionate about."
Wojcicki has been a part of Google since basically the very beginning. When Larry Page and Sergey Brin started the internet company, Wojcicki rented her garage out to them as a place for their servers. Wojcicki played a pivital role in Google's history, including managing marketing, co-creating Google Image Search, working on the YouTube and DoubleClick acquisitions, serving as SVP of Ads, and her most recent role as YouTube's CEO.
Wojcicki's successor will be Neal Mohan, who has been YouTube's Chief Product Officer since 2015. In her message, Wojcicki said Mohan has "played pivotal roles” at YouTube, specifically working to launch YouTube TV, YouTube Music, Premium, and Shorts.
After the leadership transition, Wojcicki isn't leaving Alphabet entirely. She said she has agreed with CEO Sundar Pichai "to take on an advisory role across Google and Alphabet." Wojcicki said this new role will allow her to "call on my different experiences over the years to offer counsel and guidance across Google and the portfolio of Alphabet companies."
Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN covering video game and entertainment news. He has over six years of experience in the gaming industry with bylines at IGN, Nintendo Wire, Switch Player Magazine, and Lifewire. Find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.
