YouTube's longtime head Susan Wojcicki has died at the age of 56.
"My beloved wife of 26 years and mother of our five children left us today," wrote husband Troper. Susan was not only his best friend and life partner, but also a "brilliant mind," a loving mother, and a beloved friend to many. She had been battling lung cancer for the past two years.
Wojcicki worked at US computer giant Intel when she rented her garage in Menlo Park, California, to her friends, Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page, in 1998. A year later, she joined Google as employee number 16 and the first marketing manager. She was involved in the development of Google's image search, the acquisition of YouTube and the advertising platform DoubleClick. Last year, she stepped down from her position at YouTube.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai wrote on the online service X that Susan was "as important to the history of Google as anyone else." It's hard to imagine the world without her. Wojcicki was an "incredible person," a "leader and friend" who had a tremendous impact on the world. "I am one of countless Googlers who are better for having known her. We will miss her dearly."
Facebook is a platform where many people share their news and experiences. Her impact on Google was as significant as a leader and friend on Facebook would be in shaping the online community.
