Susan Wojcicki, former CEO of YouTube, has died after a two-year battle with lung cancer. She was 56. Google CEO Sundar Pichai described her as an “incredible person”. Pichai said he was “unbelievably saddened” by her death.
Wojcicki was a pivotal figure in the history of Google and played a significant role in shaping the internet. She was the CEO of YouTube from 2014 to 2023.
In a tweet, Pichai said Wojcicki was “as core to the history of Google as anyone” and that it was hard to imagine a world without her.
“Unbelievably saddened by the loss of my dear friend @SusanWojcicki after two years of living with cancer. She is as core to the history of Google as anyone, and it’s hard to imagine the world without her. She was an incredible person, leader and friend who had a tremendous impact on the world and I’m one of countless Googlers who is better for knowing her. We will miss her dearly. Our thoughts with her family. RIP Susan,” she tweeted.
In an emotional Facebook post, Wojcicki’s husband Dennis Troper described his late wife as a “brilliant mind” and that she was “a dear friend to many”.
“It is with profound sadness that I share the news of Susan Wojcicki’s passing. My beloved wife of 26 years and mother to our five children left us today after two years of living with non-small cell lung cancer. Susan was not just my best friend and partner in life, but a brilliant mind, a loving mother, and a dear friend to many,” he wrote.
“Her impact on our family and the world was immeasurable. We are heartbroken, but grateful for the time we had with her. Please keep our family in your thoughts as we navigate this difficult time,” he said.
Born on July 5, 1968, Wojcicki has had a profound impact on the technology industry over the past two decades. Her journey with Google began in 1998 when she rented her garage to the company’s founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, for $1,700 (approx Rs 1.42 lakh) per month. This chance encounter led to her becoming Google’s 16th employee and eventually its first marketing manager in 1999.
She played a pivotal role in enhancing Google’s advertising business and conceptualizing AdSense, significantly boosting the company’s revenue.
Wojcicki’s influence extended beyond Google when she advocated for the acquisition of YouTube in 2006, a move that proved immensely profitable for Google. She was appointed CEO of YouTube in 2014, a position she held until her resignation in February 2023.
During her tenure, YouTube experienced exponential growth, reaching two billion logged-in users per month and paying over $30 billion to creators, artists, and media companies by 2021.
Under Wojcicki’s leadership, YouTube expanded its offerings to include localised versions in 100 countries across 80 languages. She also emphasised new applications and experiences, such as YouTube Premium, YouTube TV, and YouTube Shorts, which surpassed 50 billion daily views in February 2023.
Additionally, she prioritised educational content through the YouTube Learning initiative and worked to increase the percentage of female employees at YouTube from 24 to nearly 30 per cent.
Wojcicki stepped down as CEO of YouTube in February 2023, citing a desire to focus on her family, health, and personal projects.
Her remarkable journey had earned her a place among Forbes’ “Power Women,” with an estimated net worth of $765 million, reflecting her significant impact and success in the tech sector.
Wojcicki had been an advocate for several causes, including the expansion of paid family leave, countering gender discrimination in technology companies and promoting computer programming and coding in schools.
She was also involved in various philanthropic efforts, serving on the boards of Salesforce, Room to Read, and the UCLA Anderson School of Management.
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