Last updated February 17, 2023
In AI News & Update

Now, YouTube Gets An Indian-American Chief

Neal Mohan led YouTube’s effort in 2020 for launching YouTube Shorts, as a competitor to TikTok

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Published on February 17, 2023

by Mohit Pandey

Neal Mohan, the chief product officer at YouTube is stepping up as the new CEO of the Google-owned video-sharing website after Susan Wojcicki stepped down, having helmed the affairs for nine years.

Thank you, @SusanWojcicki. It's been amazing to work with you over the years. You've built YouTube into an extraordinary home for creators and viewers. I'm excited to continue this awesome and important mission. Looking forward to what lies ahead… https://t.co/Rg5jXv1NGb
— Neal Mohan (@nealmohan) February 16, 2023

Mohan, the new CEO, hasn’t been a behind-the-scenes person throughout his career as well. He led YouTube’s effort in 2020 for launching YouTube Shorts, as a competitor to TikTok. After the success of the platform in India, the test market, it was rolled out globally. “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,” said Wojcicki in her statement.

Mohan was the senior vice president of strategy and product development at DoubleClick, an online ad company acquired by Google for $3.1 billion in 2007. He, along with Wojcicki, led one of YouTube’s biggest products since 2015, including YouTube TV, YouTube Premium, and YouTube Music.

Mohan joins the league of the many Indian origin people leading tech companies, like Satya Nadella, who heads Microsoft; Sundar Pichai, the Google CEO; Shantanu Narayen, who helms heads Adobe Systems; and Anjali Sud, the Vimeo chief.

What about Susan Wojcicki

Wojcicki shared a blog, “A personal update from Susan”, explaining why she is stepping down as the CEO. She said that she wants to focus on her health, family, and personal projects. She also plans to take on an advisory role at Alphabet and Google later.

During her career at YouTube, she oversaw the expansion of the company in various verticals like YouTube Premium, YouTube Originals, YouTube Music, YouTube Gaming, YouTube Kids, and cloning Snapchat with YouTube Stories.

Wojcicki, employee No. 16 at Google, had rented her garage for Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, a year before she was hired as the company’s first marketing manager in 1999. She joined Google when it had no revenue and is also credited with the idea of buying YouTube in 2006, managing the $1.65 billion acquisition. By 2014, she became the CEO of the company.

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Mohit Pandey

Mohit dives deep into the AI world to bring out information in simple, explainable, and sometimes funny words. He also holds a keen interest in photography, filmmaking, and the gaming industry.