Susan Wojcicki at TechCrunch Disrupt SF 2016. Image: Steve Jennings/Getty Images for TechCrunch/Flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0)
Wojcicki was one of Google’s first employees and its first landlord, leaving a major legacy on the company and described as a ‘trailblazer in the industry’.
Former YouTube CEO and veteran Google employee Susan Wojcicki has passed away at the age of 56 from non-small cell lung cancer.
The news of Wojcicki’s death was shared by her husband Dennis Troper online, who said she had been living with cancer for the past two years. Wojcicki stepped down from her CEO position in February 2023.
“Susan was not just my best friend and partner in life, but a brilliant mind, a loving mother and a dear friend to many,” Troper said. “Her impact on our family and the world was immeasurable.”
One of Google’s earliest employees, Wojcicki was also Google’s first landlord, as she rented out her garage to company co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin while they worked on their search engine in 1998.
She held various positions within Google over nearly 25 years and said she co-created Google Image Search and led the company’s first video and book search. Tech leaders from various organisations have shared their condolences following the announcement of her death.
Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai described her as “one of the most active and vibrant people I have ever met”.
“During my Google interview she took me out for an ice cream and a walk around campus,” Pichai said. “I was sold – on Google and Susan.
“Over the last two years, even as she dealt with great personal difficulties, Susan devoted herself to making the world better through her philanthropy, including supporting research for the disease that ultimately took her life. I know that was very meaningful to her and I’m so glad she took the time to do it.”
Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff said Wojcicki was a “trailblazer in the industry, an exemplary mother and a cherished friend”.
“She had a remarkable ability to lead with grace and vision, lighting up every interaction with her wisdom and warmth,” Benioff said. “Her kind heart, wise counsel and philanthropic spirit touched countless lives.”
Susan Wojcicki at TechCrunch Disrupt SF 2016. Image: Steve Jennings/Getty Images for TechCrunch via GPA Photo Archive/Flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0)
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