Sundar Pichai named CEO at Google’s parent firm Alphabet

Google’s
India-born Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai will assume the leadership
role at its parent firm Alphabet after the internet giant’s co-founders Larry
Page and Sergey Brin stepped down from its active management, making him one of
the most powerful corporate leaders of the world.

Page and
Brin are stepping down as CEO and president, respectively, of Alphabet, the
company announced on Tuesday.

Pichai, 47,
the current CEO of Google and a long time executive at the company, will take
over as CEO of Alphabet in addition to his current role.

Considered
as a significant shakeup in the Silicon Valley company, the shuffle comes at a
time when Google is facing mounting scrutiny over its size, data privacy
practices and potential impact on society.

With
Alphabet now well-established, and Google and ‘Other Bets’ operating
effectively as independent companies, it’s the natural time to simplify our
management structure, the two Google co-founders wrote in a public letter.

The leeter
goes as such,”We’ve never been ones to hold on to management roles when we
think there’s a better way to run the company,” they said. “And
Alphabet and Google no longer need two CEOs and a President”.

Going
forward, “Sundar will be the CEO of both Google and Alphabet. He will be the
executive responsible and accountable for leading Google, and managing
Alphabet’s investment in our portfolio of Other Bets,” said Page and Brin”.

The letter continues, “The
co-founders will continue to serve on Alphabet’s board of directors. We are
deeply committed to Google and Alphabet for the long term, and will remain
actively involved as Board members, shareholders and co-founders”.