The former business executive led the online video-sharing platform through one of its most turbulent periods.
Susan Wojcicki, who was the former CEO of YouTube and one one Google’s first ever employees, has passed away at the age of 56.
Ms Wojcicki died after a two-year battle with lung cancer.
Her husband, Dennis Troper, announced her death in a Facebook post earlier today.
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 continued: “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’s current CEO Sundar Pichai, paid tribute to his ‘dear friend’ in a post on X.
Unbelievably saddened by the loss of my dear friend @SusanWojcicki after two years of living with cancer. She is as core to the history of Google as anyone, and it’s hard to imagine the world without her. She was an incredible person, leader and friend who had a tremendous…
— Sundar Pichai (@sundarpichai) August 10, 2024
Wojcicki had been chief executive of YouTube from 2014, until she stood down last year.
Before that she had worked at parent company Google in a variety of roles, after joining as one of its first ever employees.
According to CNBC, she was a key factor in the inception of Google after she rented her small Menlo Park home’s garage to Larry Page and Sergey Brin – co-founders of the online search firm – in September 1998.
Later that same month, the internet giant was incorporated.
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In 2006, while overseeing Google’s Google Video services, Wojcicki recommended the tech giant acquire YouTube, which was eventually purchased for $1.65 billion.
Wojcicki was appointed CEO of YouTube in 2014 and named one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people the following year.
The tech trailblazer resigned from her position at YouTube in February 2023 to “start a new chapter focused on my family, health, and personal projects.”
In February of this year, Wojcicki suffered a devastating personal tragedy when her son Marco was found dead inside a University of California, Berkeley dorm room.
Accoring to SFGate, the 19-year-old succumbed to a combination of high amounts of alprazolam – an anti-anxiety drug sometimes sold as Xanax – as well as cocaine, amphetamine, and the antihistamine hydroxyzine.
Susan Wojcicki is survived by her husband Dennis and four remaining children.
