Sundar Pichai Takes Over as Alphabet CEO as Founders Step Down
Google CEO Sundar Pichai officially takes the helm at parent company Alphabet, replacing Larry Page as CEO while Sergey Brin steps down as president. The founders remain involved as board members but are moving out of active management roles.
Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin announce that Sundar Pichai is taking over as the CEO of parent company Alphabet. This leadership shift means Pichai now leads both Google and Alphabet, eliminating the need for two CEOs and a president. Page and Brin state that this change reflects the natural evolution of the company's management structure.
Alphabet originally formed in 2015 to separate Google's core business from its ambitious "other bets" like Waymo and Verily. At that time, Page moved from Google CEO to Alphabet CEO while Pichai took charge of the search giant. Pichai has served as Google's public face for years, and this promotion firmly cements his leadership over the entire corporate structure.
Page and Brin emphasize that they are not leaving the company, but rather transitioning to roles as board members, shareholders, and co-founders. Pichai expresses enthusiasm about Alphabet's long-term focus on tackling big challenges through technology, and the founders praise his deep passion and humility. Following the announcement, Alphabet's stock rises slightly in after-hours trading.