YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki is stepping down from her role. Replacing her, the Indian-American Neal Mohan is all set to become the new CEO of the popular firm. Mohan will join a growing list of Indian-origin CEOs at the helm of US-based global giants, including Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen, and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai.
Susan Wojcicki will get replaced by insider Neal Mohan. The change of guard comes as YouTube is vying for viewing time with popular short-form video app TikTok and streaming services like Netflix. She said that she will focus on “family, health, and personal projects.” She was previously senior vice president for ad products at Google and became the CEO of YouTube in 2014.
Who is Neal Mohan?
Mohan, a Stanford graduate, joined Google in 2008 and is the chief product officer at YouTube shorts and Music. He had also worked with Microsoft and sits on the board of Stitch Fix and genomics and Biotechnology Company 23andMe. Mohan’s work journey began with Accenture in 1996. He later joined a startup called NetGravity which was later acquired by Internet advertising firm DoubleClick. DoubleClick was acquired by Google in 2007 for US$3.1 billion. He quickly rose through the ranks at Google. Mohan played a key role in the development of AdSense, a program that enables website owners to display Google ads and earn revenue based on clicks or impressions. AdSense is now one of the most successful advertising platforms in the world.
Mohan’s contribution to YouTube?
Mohan shifted to the YouTube team in 2015. During that phase, YouTube was facing tough competition from other video-sharing platforms, and it needed to find more ways to attract more users and generate more revenue. Mohan swiftly set to work, and over the years, he has witnessed several major initiatives that have helped YouTube grow into the behemoth it is today. Under Mohan’s leadership, YouTube has launched a number of successful products and features, including YouTube Music, YouTube TV, YouTube Premium, and YouTube Shorts. He has also helped YouTube improve its recommendation algorithms, which are now accountable for driving the majority of the platform’s watch time. One of Mohan’s most important contributions to YouTube has been his eye on creator monetization. He has worked to develop new income streams for creators, such as Super Chat, Super Stickers, and channel memberships. He has also helped creators get more value out of their content by upgrading ad targeting and providing them with better analytics. Mohan is known for his ability to bring people together and collaborate across teams. He has a talent for spotting trends and identifying new opportunities, and he’s not afraid to take risks. His leadership has helped YouTube stay ahead of its competitors and continue to grow.
