Former YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki dies at 56 after battle with lung cancer: NPR

Susan Wojcicki, a Silicon Valley visionary who helped shape Google and YouTube, died Friday after a two-year battle with non-small cell lung cancer, according to her husband. She was 56 years old.

“Susan was not only my best friend and partner in life, but a brilliant mind, a loving mother and a dear friend to many,” her husband, Dennis Troper, wrote in a Facebook post. “His impact on our family and the world was immeasurable.”

Wojcicki, born in Santa Clara, California, grew up on the campus of Stanford University, where his father was a physicist. There, he developed a passion for innovation and making a difference in the world. (His two younger sisters, Anne and Janet, also became powerhouses in their respective fields.)

In 1998, Wojcicki rented his garage to Larry Page and Sergey Brin, a pair of Stanford grad students about to build the search giant Google.

Wojcicki quickly saw the company's potential and left his job at Intel to become Google's first marketing manager. In the following years, he quickly rose through the ranks, helping to grow the platform's consumer products and build its advertising business.

Wojcicki later played a major role in Google's purchase of YouTube in 2006, when it was just a small startup. She was named CEO of YouTube in 2014 and led its explosive growth over the past decade. He also oversaw the platform as it grappled with hate speech, misinformation and inappropriate content.

In 2023, Wojcicki announced that she would be leaving her role to “start a new chapter focused on my family, health and personal projects.”

“I took on every challenge that came my way because I had a mission that benefited the lives of so many people around the world: finding information, telling stories, and supporting creators, artists, and small businesses. I'm so proud of everything we've done. it's been exhilarating, meaningful and all-consuming,” said a blog entry.

Aside from growing two tech giants, Wojcicki also dedicated herself to improving the workplace for women and parents. At Google, she was the first to take parental leave and continued to advocate for these policies in the workforce.

On Saturday, Google CEO Sundar Pichai said Wojcicki will be remembered for how she “always puts others first.”

“I'll never forget his kindness to me as a potential 'Noogler' 20 years ago. During my interview at Google, he took me out for ice cream and a walk around campus. I was sold on Google and Susan,” he said. in a statement.

Wojcicki was also known for her persuasive graduation speech at John Hopkins University in 2014. There, he reflected on his career and the nature of opportunities.

“Opportunities are rarely presented to you in the perfect way, in a nice little box with a yellow ribbon on top,” he said. “Opportunities, good ones, are messy and confusing and hard to recognize. They're risky. They challenge you.”

The Silicon Valley community and YouTube creators are mourning a technology pioneer

On Saturday, YouTube chief Neal Mohan, who took over the role from Wojcicki, wrote to X that YouTube lost “a teammate, a mentor and a friend… I am eternally grateful for her friendship and guidance. I will miss her tremendously. My heart goes out to her family and loved ones.”

Tim Cook, CEO of Apple also mourned Wojcicki's death. “She was one of Silicon Valley's visionaries and will be missed by many. May she rest in peace,” she wrote to X.

Marc Benioff, CEO and co-founder of Salesforce, described Wojcicki, who served on Salesforce's board. as a pioneer and an example of great leadership. “He had a remarkable ability to lead with grace and vision, illuminating every interaction with his wisdom and warmth. His kind heart, wise counsel and philanthropic spirit touched countless lives,” he told X.

Outside of Silicon Valley, John and Hank Green, both authors and popular YouTubers, shared their condolences.

“People feel that the structure of the world is inevitable, but it is built by people and what you have built under Susan's quiet leadership in a ridiculously complex environment is extremely special and above what others have created. I am very sad of having it, I lost it,” wrote Hank Green X.

John Green he said“She was (very quietly) the top donor to our maternal health support project in Sierra Leone. She never asked for credit or attention for her gifts, she just privately supported our project and many others. A an exceptional leader and person.”