After almost a decade of running YouTube, CEO Susan Wojcicki is “stepping back” from her leadership role at the video-sharing platform. In a blog post, Wojcicki stated that she intends to focus on her family, health, and personal projects. Having been involved with YouTube’s parent company Google since its early days, Wojcicki has made a significant contribution to the development of products used by people worldwide. Google’s founders, Larry Page, and Sergey Brin thanked her for her 25 years of service and all that she had accomplished.
Wojcicki had been YouTube’s CEO for nine years, during which time she oversaw the platform’s evolution into a major player in the web’s shift towards social media. However, she also had to grapple with the increasing scrutiny of online platforms for the dissemination of misinformation, hate speech, and other harmful content.
Neal Mohan, YouTube’s current chief product officer, will replace Wojcicki. According to Wojcicki, the company’s “most exciting opportunities” lie ahead, with all that YouTube is doing in Shorts, streaming, and subscriptions, as well as the promise of artificial intelligence. Wojcicki will continue to work with some YouTube teams and offer counsel and guidance to Google CEO Sundar Pichai, providing advice and input across Google and its portfolio of Alphabet companies.
Despite leaving her role, Wojcicki said she was proud of what she had accomplished and that it had been “exhilarating, meaningful, and all-consuming.”
