Page and Brin step back as Pichai becomes dual Google and Alphabet CEO
Alphabet, the parent company of Google, has announced that Larry Page and Sergey Brin are leaving their roles as CEO and president effectively immediately and Google CEO Sundar Pichai has been appointed to assume the CEO role of Google and Alphabet.
"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," the pair wrote in a letter about their transition.
The pair said however, they would continue their involvement in the company as co-founders, shareholders, and members of Alphabet's board of directors.
As CEO of both Google and Alphabet, Pichai will be responsible for leading Google and managing Alphabet's investment. He has been with Google since 2004 and was appointed to the Google CEO role as part of the company reshuffle that led to the creation of Alphabet back in 2015. In 2017, he joined Alphabet's board as its thirteenth director.
See also: Can you trust Google to keep your WiFi running until 2030?
"I'm excited about Alphabet and its long term focus on tackling big challenges through technology. I'm looking forward to continuing to work with Larry and Sergey in our new roles. Thanks to them, we have a timeless mission, enduring values, and a culture of collaboration and exploration. It's a strong foundation on which we will continue to build," he said.
Pichai also wrote in a separate letter reassuring that executive changes will not impact the company.
"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," he wrote.
Updated 4 December 2019 9:15am AEST: Additional information was added about Pichai and his direction for the company.
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