A pioneering figure in the tech industry and former CEO of YouTube, Susan Wojcicki has passed away at the age of 56. Her husband, Dennis Troper, announced her death on social media, revealing that she succumbed to non-small cell lung cancer after a two-year battle. "Susan was not just my best friend and partner in life, but a brilliant mind, a loving mother, and a dear friend to many," Troper wrote.
Wojcicki's journey in the tech world began in 1998 when she rented her garage to Larry Page and Sergey Brin, the founders of Google, for $1,700 a month. This partnership marked the beginning of her illustrious career with Google, where she became the company's first marketing manager. She played a crucial role in Google's acquisition of YouTube in 2006 and later became its CEO in 2014, leading the platform through significant growth and challenges, including issues related to hate speech and misinformation.
Born on July 5, 1968, in Santa Clara, California, Wojcicki grew up on Stanford University's campus, where her father was a physicist. She was known for her collaborative and user-centric leadership style, which hugely influenced YouTube's development into one of the world's most popular video platforms. Her advocacy for mothers in the workplace and her efforts to promote inclusivity and diverse content have left a lasting impact on the tech industry.
In February, Wojcicki faced a personal tragedy when her 19-year-old son, Marco, died from a drug overdose. Despite these hardships, she remained a beacon of resilience and inspiration. "Her loss is devastating for all of us who know and love her, for the thousands of Googlers she led over the years and for millions of people all over the world who looked up to her," said Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet.
Wojcicki stepped down as YouTube's CEO in 2023 to focus on her family, health, and personal projects. In her last post on X (formerly Twitter), she expressed excitement about joining the board of Planet, a satellite and geospatial solutions technology company.
Susan Wojcicki is survived by her husband, Dennis Troper, and their four remaining children.
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