YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki on Thursday announced her decision to step down, paving the way for the No.2 at the video platform -- Neal Mohan. She decided to end her term at YouTube after 25 years to start a new chapter focused on her family, health, and personal projects she is passionate about, Wojcicki said in a letter to the employees.
However, she would continue to support Mohan and the company and help in a smooth transitioning and continue in an advisory role. All eyes will now be on Neal Mohan as the video publishing platform faces stiff business challenges and legal battles across the world.
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So, who is Neal Mohan?
The 47-year-old Neal Mohan is currently YouTube's chief product officer. He will soon take over as the new head of the video streaming service. Mohan will be taking over the role from Susan Wojcicki, who has been leading YouTube since 2014. Mohan has been one of Wojcicki's primary lieutenants ever since he joined YouTube in 2015.
He is married to Hema Sareen Mohan, who has worked in the non-profit and public welfare sectors for over two decades.
Mohan's appointment is being seen as a natural progression for him, given his significant contributions to the development of several YouTube products over the years. According to Wojcicki, Mohan played "pivotal roles" in the growth and success of products like YouTube TV, YouTube Music, Premium, and Shorts, and also led the company's trust and safety team.
Mohan's career trajectory has been impressive, with stints at some of the world's biggest tech companies. Before joining YouTube, Mohan served as senior vice-president of display and video ads at Google from March 2008 to November 2015. Prior to that, he was the senior vice-president of strategy and product development at DoubleClick, an internet ad-serving services company that was acquired by Google in 2007. According to several media reports, Google paid a whopping $100 million to Mohan in 2013 just to keep him from joining Twitter. He was reportedly on the verge of accepting an offer as the chief of product at Twitter then.
Mohan holds a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University and an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, where he was an Arjay Miller Scholar. He serves on the board of directors for the Internet Advertising Bureau and the Mobile Marketing Association, and is a member of the management board for the Stanford Graduate School of Business.