Former YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki Passes Away At 56; Google CEO Sundar Pichai Condoles

YouTube's former chief executive and long-time Google executive Susan Wojcicki died on Saturday at the age of 56 after a two-year battle with lung cancer.

Susan Wojcicki's husband announced the news of her demise in a post on Facebook. He wrote, "It is with profound sadness that I share the news of Susan Wojcicki passing. My beloved wife of 26 years and mother to our five children left us today after 2 years of living with non-small cell lung cancer,"

He further said, "Susan was not just my best friend and partner in life, but a brilliant mind, a loving mother, and a dear friend to many. Her impact on our family and the world was immeasurable. We are heartbroken, but grateful for the time we had with her. Please keep our family in your thoughts as we navigate this difficult time.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai mourned the death of Wojcicki, calling her "most active and vibrant people" he has ever met. He said, "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, benefited from her advocacy and leadership, and felt the impact of the incredible things she created at Google, YouTube, and beyond."

Pichai stated that Susan's journey, starting from the garage she rented to Larry and Sergey and leading to her role as the CEO of YouTube, one of the world's most significant platforms, was inspiring by any measure. He noted that she didn't stop there; as one of the earliest Googlers and the first to take maternity leave, Susan used her position to create a better workplace for everyone. Pichai also highlighted her advocacy around parental leave, which set a new standard for businesses globally.

He further emphasized Susan's deep passion for education, mentioning how she recognized early on that YouTube could serve as a global learning platform and championed "edutubers," particularly those who expanded the reach of STEM education to underserved communities.

Wojcicki joined Google in 1999 and served as the senior vice president for ad products before becoming the CEO of YouTube in 2014. After nine years leading the platform, she stepped down in 2023 to focus on "family, health, and personal projects."