Susan Wojcicki was a former CEO of YouTube and a Silicon Valley visionary
Susan Wojcicki, 87, of Silicon Valley: Google, YouTube, Facebook, and Noogler 20 Years Later (with an Appearance by Susan)
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.
The structure of the world is inevitable, but it is built by people and what Susan has built is extremely special and head and shoulders above what other people have created. I’m so sad to have lost her,” Hank Green wrote on X.
She was born in Santa Clara, California, to a physicist and grew up atStanford University. There, she developed a passion for innovation and making a difference in the world. Her two younger sisters, Anne and Janet, also excelled in their respective fields.
Aside from growing two tech behemoths, Wojcicki also devoted herself to improving the workplace for women and parents. At Google, she was the first to take parental leave and continued to advocate for such policies in the workforce.
The challenge that I took on was the one that benefited so much people’s life around the world: finding information, telling stories, and supporting small businesses. I’m so proud of everything we’ve achieved. It’s been exhilarating, meaningful, and all-consuming,” she said in a blog post.
Susan always put others first, both in her values and in the day to day. I’ll never forget her kindness to me as a prospective “Noogler” 20 years ago. She took me out for an ice cream shop and a stroll around campus after my interview. I was sold – on Google and Susan.
She gave a compelling graduation speech at John Hopper University. There, she reflected on her career and opportunities.
An Unusually Good Leader: Susan Wojcicki, the CEO of YouTube, a Loose Legacy Legacy, and a Memorino
“Rarely are the opportunities presented to you in a nice way, in a nice box with a yellow bow on top,” she said. “Opportunities, the good ones, they’re messy and confusing and hard to recognize. They’re not safe. They challenge you.”
On Saturday, the head of YouTube, Neal Mohan, who assumed the role after Wojcicki, wrote on X that YouTube lost “a teammate, mentor, and friend. … I am forever grateful for her advice and friendship. I’ll miss her a lot. My heart goes out to her family and loved ones.”
Marc Benioff, CEO and co-founder of Salesforce, described Wojcicki — who was on Salesforce’s board — as a trailblazer and an example of great leadership. She had a amazing ability to lead with grace and vision, lighting up the room with her wisdom and warmth. Her kind heart, wise counsel, and philanthropic spirit touched countless lives,” he said on X.
John Green said, “She was (very quietly) the single biggest donor to our project supporting maternal health in Sierra Leone. She never once asked for credit or attention for her gifts–just privately supported our project and many others. An exceptional leader and person.
Susan’s journey from renting a garage to building a Ads business, leading teams across consumer products and becoming the CEO of YouTube is inspiring by any measure. She did not stop there. Susan was one of the first to take maternity leave and used her position to build a better workplace for everyone. Her work around parental leave set a new standard for businesses everywhere. Susan was a passionate supporter of education. She realized early on that she could make a difference in people’s lives with her knowledge of the world and her love for learning.