Former YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki dies at 56

Susan Wojcicki, who joined the company as Google’s 16th employee and successfully served as the CEO of YouTube for years, passed away at the age of 56. The news of Wojcicki’s death was shared with the public by his wife Dennis Troper and Google CEO Sundar Pichai. According to Pichai’s statement, Wojcicki had been fighting non-small cell lung cancer for two years.

Wojcicki left an unforgettable mark on the technology world by joining Google in 1998. Wojcicki became CEO of YouTube in 2014, a position he held until February 2023. However, he resigned from his position to focus on his family, health and personal projects. Unfortunately, in the process, Wojcicki also lost his son earlier in the year.

In 2014, Wojcicki was recognized as one of the 50 most influential people worldwide. Wojcicki, who played a major role in the growth of Google and shaping the digital world, turned YouTube into a platform where a new generation of celebrities and influencers emerged. YouTube’s success is thanks to Wojcicki’s vision and leadership.

Throughout her career, Wojcicki has been considered one of the most powerful women at Google. Reporting directly to Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Wojcicki played an active role in the company’s critical decisions. In 2011, the San Jose Mercury News reported that Wojcicki persuaded the Google board to purchase YouTube.

One of his most important contributions was building Google’s massive advertising business. Wojcicki, who helped create AdSense, also oversaw Google’s acquisition of DoubleClick in 2007. This acquisition is considered one of the cornerstones of Google’s dominance in advertising. Currently, Google is facing an antitrust lawsuit from the US Department of Justice over alleged monopoly in the digital advertising market.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai published a memorial message to his employees after Wojcicki’s death. Pichai emphasized that Wojcicki is not only a leader but also an ambassador of good in the company. Pichai stated that Wojcicki’s advocacy on parental leave has set a new standard in the business world, and his passion for education has transformed YouTube into a learning platform.

Although Wojcicki spent the last two years in a difficult personal struggle, he maintained his lifelong mission of helping others and making the world a better place. He made significant contributions in this field by supporting cancer research.

Throughout his work at Google, Wojcicki touched the lives of many people and became an inspiration to many. In his memory, Google employees stated that they will continue their work to honor the legacy Wojcicki left.