- Google cofounders Larry Page and Sergey Brin announced Tuesday they were stepping down from Google’s parent company Alphabet.
- Google CEO Sundar Pichai will now become CEO of both Google and Alphabet.
- Pichai sent an email to employees on Tuesday outlining how his role will (and won’t) change.
Tuesday marked the end of an era for Silicon Valley.
Larry Page and Sergey Brin, who founded Google in a garage in 1998, announced they were stepping down from Google’s parent company Alphabet.
Their successor is Sundar Pichai, Google’s CEO of four years. Pichai will be retain his role as CEO of Google as well as becoming CEO of Alphabet.
Pichai circulated an email to employees after Page and Brin put up a blog post announcing their departure on Tuesday, outlining what the change would mean for the company.
In the email Pichai says that Google is a company of “continuous evolution,” but that his accession won’t affect Alphabet’s structure or the day-to-day work of Googlers.
Here is the email in full:
Hi everyone,
When I was visiting Googlers in Tokyo a few weeks ago I talked about how Google has changed over the years. In fact, in my 15+ years with Google, the only constant I’ve seen is change. This process of continuous evolution — which the founders often refer to as “uncomfortably exciting” – is part of who we are. That statement will feel particularly true today as you read the news Larry and Sergey have just posted to our blog.
The key message Larry and Sergey shared is this:
While it has been a tremendous privilege to be deeply involved in the day-to-day management of the company for so long, we believe it’s time to assume the role of proud parents — offering advice and love, but not daily nagging!
With Alphabet now well-established, and Google and the Other Bets operating effectively as independent companies, it’s the natural time to simplify our management structure. We’ve never been ones to hold on to management roles when we think there’s a better way to run the company. And Alphabet and Google no longer need two CEOs and a President. Going forward, Sundar will be the CEO of both Google and Alphabet. He will be the executive responsible and accountable for leading Google, and managing Alphabet’s investment in our portfolio of Other Bets. We are deeply committed to Google and Alphabet for the long term, and will remain actively involved as Board members, shareholders and co-founders. In addition, we plan to continue talking with Sundar regularly, especially on topics we’re passionate about!
I first met Larry and Sergey back in 2004 and have been benefiting from their guidance and insights ever since. The good news is I’ll continue to work with them — although in different roles for them and me. They’ll still be around to advise as board members and co-founders.
I want to be clear that this transition won’t affect the Alphabet structure or the work we do day to day. I will continue to be very focused on Google and the deep work we’re doing to push the boundaries of computing and build a more helpful Google for everyone. At the same time, I’m excited about Alphabet and its long term focus on tackling big challenges through technology.
The founders have given all of us an incredible chance to have an impact on the world. Thanks to them, we have a timeless mission, enduring values, and a culture of collaboration and exploration that makes it exciting to come to work every day. It’s a strong foundation on which we will continue to build. Can’t wait to see where we go next and look forward to continuing the journey with all of you.
— Sundar
Although Pichai emphasises that power in the two companies will be consolidated under him, it’s important to note that since Page and Brin control over half of Google’s shares, they will still have voting control over the company. In their goodbye blog post the pair said they would remain “actively involved” board members and shareholders.
As reported by Business Insider