Google’s AdWords Boss Susan Wojcicki Becomes YouTube CEO

Susan Wojcicki, Google employee #16 and current Ads SVP, is going to be the next CEO of YouTube. She replaces Salar Kamangar, who will remain with the company in another role according to Re/code. Wojcicki confirmed the move in a tweet earlier today. She takes over the site at a time of transition as YouTube tries […]

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Susan WojcickiSusan Wojcicki, Google employee #16 and current Ads SVP, is going to be the next CEO of YouTube. She replaces Salar Kamangar, who will remain with the company in another role according to Re/code.

Wojcicki confirmed the move in a tweet earlier today. She takes over the site at a time of transition as YouTube tries to both generate more revenue as well as reinvent itself in the mold of cable TV.

Data aggregator eMarketer estimated that YouTube brought in $5.6 billion in gross ad revenue last year on a global basis. According to comScore Google (primarily YouTube) is the top video property online.

Wojcicki Tweet re YouTube

The site was originally acquired in 2006 in an all stock deal worth roughly $1.65 billion. It was purchased in part to help lure brand advertising revenue to Google as well as to give Google a “social” property.

With the rise of mobile video and the upbeat outlook for mobile video advertising, not to mention the success of Google Chromecast, YouTube has a range of provocative content distribution and advertising opportunities. Wojcicki herself is a YouTube enthusiast and was reportedly an early proponent of the acquisition within Google.

We’ve got a request into Google for comment and will update this post if we learn anything further.

Postscript: In a statement attributed to Google CEO Larry Page, the company has now confirmed Wojcicki’s new role at YouTube:

Salar and the whole YouTube team have built something amazing. YouTube is a billion person global community curating videos for every possibility. Anyone uploading their creative content can reach the whole world and even make money. Like Salar, Susan has a healthy disregard for the impossible and is excited about improving YouTube in ways that people will love.


Opinions expressed in this article are those of the guest author and not necessarily MarTech. Staff authors are listed here.


About the author

Greg Sterling
Contributor
Greg Sterling is a Contributing Editor to Search Engine Land, a member of the programming team for SMX events and the VP, Market Insights at Uberall.

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