Susan Wojcicki, a pivotal figure in technology and former CEO of YouTube, has died following a two-year struggle with non-small cell lung cancer. Her husband, Dennis Troper, shared the news in a touching Facebook post.
Wojcicki’s influence was deeply embedded in the rise of Google, now known as Alphabet Inc. In 1998, she offered her garage as office space to Google’s founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin. She joined Google in 1999 as its 16th employee and first marketing executive, marking the start of a 25-year career with the company. During her tenure, she was crucial in the development of major advertising and analytics products such as AdWords, AdSense, DoubleClick, and Google Analytics, and she also led the launch of consumer products like Google Images and Google Books.
In 2014, Wojcicki became CEO of YouTube, a position she held until early 2023. Under her leadership, YouTube’s user base grew to 2.5 billion monthly users. Her role was also key in Google’s acquisition of YouTube for $1.65 billion in 2006.
Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet, expressed his grief on X, saying, “I am deeply saddened by the loss of my dear friend Susan Wojcicki after her brave two-year fight with cancer. Her impact on Google’s history is immense, and she will be greatly missed.”
Wojcicki’s death follows a recent personal tragedy for her family; her 19-year-old son, Marco Troper, passed away earlier this year at the University of California, Berkeley.