There is a new CEO at YouTube. Susan Wojcicki announced her resignation as CEO of YouTube on Friday, and Neal Mohan will take over. Mohan will take over as YouTube’s next SVP and CEO. Mohan has been YouTube’s Chief Product Officer since 2015.
Wojcicki disclosed in an email to employees that she will be focusing on family, health, and personal projects that she is passionate about. “Today, after nearly 25 years here, I’ve decided to stand down as CEO of YouTube and begin a new chapter focused on my family, health, and personal projects I’m passionate about,” she wrote in an email to YouTube staff. She also praised Sundar Pichai for his unwavering support. On Pichai’s recommendation, Wojcicki will take on an advisory role across Google and Alphabet in the future.
Neal Mohan is a well-known person in the tech world who previously served as YouTube’s Chief Product Officer before being named CEO on Thursday. Since joining the company, he has played an important role in determining the platform’s growth and success. Prior to that, he was Senior Vice President, Display and Video Advertising at Google, where he was instrumental in the development of AdSense and DoubleClick, two of the company’s most popular products.
Mohan received his bachelor’s degree in computer science from Stanford University in 1996, when he was an Arjay Miller Scholar (top 10 percent of students in terms of GPA). In 2005, he earned an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Management. Mohan’s career began in 1996 with Accenture (formerly Andersen Consulting). Later, he joined NetGravity, which was ultimately acquired by Internet advertising giant DoubleClick. Google paid US$3.1 billion for DoubleClick in 2007. At Google, he quickly advanced through the ranks. Mohan was a key figure in the creation of AdSense, a service that allows website owners to show Google advertising and receive money depending on clicks or impressions. AdSense is now one of the world’s most successful advertising networks.
In 2015, Mohan joined the YouTube team. YouTube was suffering intense competition from other video-sharing services at the time, and it needed to develop new ways to attract viewers and make cash. Mohan got to work right away, and over the years, he has managed several important efforts that have helped YouTube develop into the giant it is today. YouTube has released a number of successful products and services under Mohan’s leadership, including YouTube Music, YouTube TV, YouTube Premium, and YouTube Shorts. He has also assisted YouTube in improving its recommendation algorithms, which now account for the vast bulk of the platform’s viewing time.
Mohan’s focus on creator monetization has been one of his most significant contributions to YouTube. He has collaborated with creators to create new revenue streams such as Super Talk, Super Stickers, and channel memberships. He has also assisted content providers in getting more value out of their work by enhancing ad targeting and offering better analytics. Mohan is well-known for his ability to unite individuals and collaborate across teams. He’s good at seeing patterns and identifying new opportunities, and he’s not hesitant to take chances. His leadership has enabled YouTube to stay ahead of its competition and thrive. Mohan currently serves on the boards of Stich Fix, a personal style service, and 23andMe, a gene testing company.