New York: Susan Wojcicki, an influential figure in Google’s early history and the longtime CEO of YouTube, has passed away at 56. Her death was confirmed by her husband Dennis Troper. Google CEO Sundar Pichai also announced her demise and highlighted her lasting legacy.
Wojcicki joined Google in 1998 and became the CEO of YouTube in 2014, leading the platform for nearly a decade before stepping down in February 2023. Her decision to leave YouTube was to focus on “family, health, and personal projects.” Both Troper and Pichai revealed that Wojcicki had been battling non-small cell lung cancer. Earlier this year, her son, Marco Troper, also passed away.
Throughout her career, Wojcicki was a driving force behind Google’s advertising business and later, YouTube’s transformation into a global platform where new celebrities and influencers emerge. In 2014, she was recognised as one of the 50 most important people shaping the world.
Sundar Pichai expressed his deep sorrow in a memo shared with Google employees, highlighting Wojcicki’s impact and her lasting legacy. The memo, cited in a report by The Verge, stated, “Susan was one of the most active and vibrant people I have ever met. Her loss is devastating for all of us who know and love her, for the thousands of Googlers she led over the years, and for millions of people all over the world who looked up to her, benefited from her advocacy and leadership, and felt the impact of the incredible things she created at Google, YouTube, and beyond.”
He also reflected on her journey, from renting out her garage to Google’s co-founders to leading YouTube, and how she continuously worked to improve the workplace and championed causes close to her heart, including education and parental leave. “Susan’s journey, from the garage she rented to Larry and Sergey … to leading teams across consumer products and building our Ads business … to becoming the CEO of YouTube, one of the world’s most significant platforms, is inspiring by any measure,” Pichai wrote.
Pichai recalled a personal moment with Wojcicki during his interview at Google. “I’ll never forget her kindness to me as a prospective ‘Noogler’ 20 years ago. During my Google interview, she took me out for an ice cream and a walk around campus. I was sold – on Google and Susan,” he shared.
Wojcicki’s contributions extended beyond her professional achievements. Even during her battle with cancer, she focused on philanthropy, supporting research for the very disease that ultimately took her life. “Over the last two years, even as she dealt with great personal difficulties, Susan devoted herself to making the world better through her philanthropy,” Pichai noted.
As Google and YouTube continue to evolve, Pichai encouraged everyone to honour Wojcicki’s memory by building a Google she would be proud of, emphasising her profound influence on the company and the industry at large.
