YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki to leave the company

Outgoing chief executive’s parents owned the garage from which Google was founded – and was one of its first employees

Susan Wojcicki (Getty Images)

Susan Wojcicki is stepping down as YouTube’s chief executive.

Ms Wojcicki has led YouTube through a range of turbulent times since she took over the company in 2014. That period saw arguments with advertisers, creators and the public about the kind of content that should be allowed and promoted on the site, but it also helped establish it as the world’s biggest video site and a vast part of Google.

She also has a long history with Google itself. Her parents owned the garage from which the company was originally started, and she was its 16th employee.

“Susan has a unique place in Google history and has made the most incredible contribution to products used by people everywhere,” Page and Brin said in a statement, reported by Vox, which was first to confirm her departure. “We’re so grateful for all she’s done over the last 25 years.”

In the time since, she helped create Google Image Search and build its ads business, before taking over as the head of YouTube.

Now she will be leaving to “start a new chapter focused on my family, health and personal projects I’m passionate about”, she said.

Her job will be taken by Neal Mohan, who has worked with Ms Wojcicki for 15 years across Google. He currently serves as YouTube’s chief product officer.

She said he would be a “terrific leader”. “With all we’re doing across Shorts, streaming and subscriptions, together with the promises of AI, YouTube’s most exciting opportunities are ahead, and Neal is the right person to lead us,” she wrote to staff.

Ms Wojcicki will initially stay on to help with that transition and then take on an advisory role with Google, she said.

“This will allow me to call on my different experiences over the years to offer counsel and guidance across Google and the portfolio of Alphabet companies,” she wrote. “It’s an incredibly important time for Google—it reminds me of the early days—incredible product and technology innovation, huge opportunities, and a healthy disregard for the impossible.”