Former YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki dies at 56 after battle with cancer

Former YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki died on Friday at age 56 after a two-year battle with lung cancer, her family announced. Susan Wojcicki, who was one of Google’s earliest employees, served as CEO of YouTube for nine years before stepping down in February of last year.

“It is with deep sadness that I share the news of Susan Wojcicki’s 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,” wrote her husband, Dennis Troper, in a heartfelt post on Facebook.

Troper described Wojcicki as “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 beyond was immense. We are heartbroken, but thankful for the time we had with her,” Troper said. “Please keep our family in your thoughts as we face this challenging time.”

Wojcicki, a key figure in Silicon Valley, had been closely connected to YouTube’s parent company Google from the very beginning, hosting the company’s two founders in her garage in California during the early days of their search engine venture. She went on to become Google’s 16th employee and dedicated nearly 25 years to the company.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai shared his condolences on X, reflecting on Wojcicki’s integral role in Google’s history.

“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 impact on the world and I’m one of countless Googlers who is better for knowing her. We will miss her dearly. Our thoughts with her family. RIP Susan.,” Pichai said.

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 served as YouTube’s CEO for nine years before stepping down last year, citing a desire to focus on her family, health, and personal projects she was passionate about.

During her tenure, Wojcicki guided YouTube through its crucial shift toward social media, while also facing increasing scrutiny over the spread of misinformation, hate speech, and other harmful content on online platforms.

“I’m so proud of everything we’ve achieved,” Wojcicki wrote when announcing her decision to step down in 2023. “It’s been exhilarating, meaningful, and all-consuming.”

In a blog post announcing her departure, Wojcicki said: “Today, after nearly 25 years here, I’ve decided to step back from my role as the head of YouTube and start a new chapter focused on my family, health, and personal projects I’m passionate about.” She added that she will continue working with YouTube teams, coaching members, and meeting with creators.