Susan Wojcicki, the former CEO of YouTube and one of Google’s earliest employees, has passed away at the age of 56 after a two-year battle with lung cancer. Google’s chief executive Sundar Pichai announced the news on Twitter, expressing his deep sadness at the loss of a woman he described as “as core to the history of Google as anyone.”
Wojcicki played a pivotal role in Google’s early days, renting out her garage to the company’s founders before joining as the 16th employee. She later went on to lead YouTube for nine years, where she faced both praise and criticism for her handling of the platform, particularly in regards to online disinformation.
Despite the challenges she faced, Wojcicki was a trailblazer for women in the tech industry, advocating for more girls to pursue careers in technology. In a 2013 interview with the BBC, she highlighted the need for greater gender diversity in the field, noting the low representation of women in technical roles.
Her decision to step down from her role at YouTube in 2023 was driven by a desire to focus on her family, health, and personal projects. Her husband, Dennis Troper, shared the heartbreaking news of her passing, revealing that she had been battling non-small-cell lung cancer for the past two years.
The tech industry has lost a visionary leader and advocate for diversity with the passing of Susan Wojcicki, whose legacy will continue to inspire future generations of women in technology.
