An update from the Chairman
1/20/2011 01:01:00 PM
When I joined Google in 2001 I never imagined—even in my wildest dreams—that we would get as far, as fast as we have today. Search has quite literally changed people’s lives—increasing the collective sum of the world’s knowledge and revolutionizing advertising in the process. And our emerging businesses—display, Android, YouTube and Chrome—are on fire. Of course, like any successful organization we’ve had our fair share of good luck, but the entire team—now over 24,000 Googlers globally—deserves most of the credit.
And as our results today show, the outlook is bright. But as Google has grown, managing the business has become more complicated. So Larry, Sergey and I have been talking for a long time about how best to simplify our management structure and speed up decision making—and over the holidays we decided now was the right moment to make some changes to the way we are structured.
For the last 10 years, we have all been equally involved in making decisions. This triumvirate approach has real benefits in terms of shared wisdom, and we will continue to discuss the big decisions among the three of us. But we have also agreed to clarify our individual roles so there’s clear responsibility and accountability at the top of the company.
Larry will now lead product development and technology strategy, his greatest strengths, and starting from April 4 he will take charge of our day-to-day operations as Google’s Chief Executive Officer. In this new role I know he will merge Google’s technology and business vision brilliantly. I am enormously proud of my last decade as CEO, and I am certain that the next 10 years under Larry will be even better! Larry, in my clear opinion, is ready to lead.
Sergey has decided to devote his time and energy to strategic projects, in particular working on new products. His title will be Co-Founder. He’s an innovator and entrepreneur to the core, and this role suits him perfectly.
As Executive Chairman, I will focus wherever I can add the greatest value: externally, on the deals, partnerships, customers and broader business relationships, government outreach and technology thought leadership that are increasingly important given Google’s global reach; and internally as an advisor to Larry and Sergey.
We are confident that this focus will serve Google and our users well in the future. Larry, Sergey and I have worked exceptionally closely together for over a decade—and we anticipate working together for a long time to come. As friends, co-workers and computer scientists we have a lot in common, most important of all a profound belief in the potential for technology to make the world a better place. We love Google—our people, our products and most of all the opportunity we have to improve the lives of millions of people around the world.
Posted by Eric Schmidt
Source: Official Google Blog
MacDailyNews Take: If you really loved Google, you would have remained focused on innovation instead of permanently tarnishing the company with derivative inferiorities of Apple products.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Edward W.” for the heads up.]
Something fishy going at Goog.
Android #s are about to go down now that iPhone 4 is at Verizon!!!
Goo what?
“Larry, in my clear opinion, is ready to lead.” That is awfully condescending! Like Schmidt knows anything about what real leadership is about?
how does larry page think about pushing flash with that crutch “WebM” ?
Schmidt happens
I have a great idea for google.
Larry page should hire a CEO who will fire him…
A few years later google will be near bankruptcy…
then they will re hire Larry and became the greatest tech company in the world…
Is not what they are trying to do? not only copy apple products but also apple management system?
There isn’t one product that Google makes that isn’t BUGGY, DERIVATIVE, HORRIBLY DESIGNED, and POORLY SUPPORTED. Wow, what a company to be proud of. :-\
And sometimes Schmidt hits the fan.
“As Executive Chairman, I will focus wherever I can add the greatest value: externally, on the deals, partnerships, customers and broader business relationships, government outreach and technology thought leadership that are increasingly important given Google’s global reach;…”
I am out he said.
“….and internally as an advisor to Larry and Sergey.”
He confirmed he’s out.
No doubt!
You would think that “technology thought leadership” would be part of Larry’s role – lead of product development and technology strategy.
When a CEO includes “technology thought leadership” as part of his job, I start to wonder. Upon reflection, however, I like his strategy. I like it a lot.
Please tell me this means they’ll reverse course on their idiotic WebM crusade.
Ding-dong, the mole is gone!
What a friggin’ convoluted way of saying he’s “stepping down for personal interests”.
Watch, you won’t see the mole speaking on behalf of Google or actively involved. A year from now, he’ll only be relevant to the person filling in the fields of SEC filings.
Any connection to Verizon’s suit against the FCC re: net neutrality? Google did lay out a plan for a rainbows and unicorns “open” internet. Or maybe the amazing Google TV? Could Schmidt have gone beyond the six Degrees of Kevin Bacon to breaking the Seventh Seal?
Gee, maybe with all this new found extra time Eric T Mole can weasel his way onto other company Boards?
tl:dr
I mean really, who cares what that assbag has to say?
Executive Chairman sounds like a made-up honorary position to me. Is the idea that he won’t have any actual duties but will simply wave his magic wand at every opportunity?
Does anyone remember why Schmidt was brought on as Google’s CEO in the first place?
His role was to be the professional manager that the founder’s couldn’t be. So, his press release is a total mis-representation.
His quote:
“But as Google has grown, managing the business has become more complicated. So Larry, Sergey and I have been talking for a long time about how best to simplify our management structure and speed up decision making”
It seems to me, as the business has become more complicated, that means the professional manager should be taking a bigger role. Instead, the are putting the guy who wants to think about tech. strategy in charge of day to day management. On what planet does that make sense?
Seems like Google PR really dropped the ball formulating this release.
Life at Google HQ is a swirling vortex of Schmidt and pain.
Google’s many various and fragmented products will be their own undoing a la Microsoft, most curiously. Just one example – try to make sense of their Adwords reporting and accounts – it’s nearly impossible. It’s like Unix geeks created it and the help files are like a Turing test with Hal Unix. I expect Android to follow that same path.
Google’s gone so far from their terribly lucrative core. All these little feelers and arms and projects they’ve gotten into are a complete web. The company would benefit greatly from spinning many of these projects off into separate companies.
I wonder if this management move doesn’t have something to do with Oracle’s lawsuit? My spidey senses say something is up.
Really this is not a shocking move. Schmidt was brought in to “raise the kids”. The schedule may be hasten a bit now, probably because they just can’t stand the Zuck getting all the attention, and any year now, the Jobs may start laying back. You are seeing all the Sillycon wankers jostle for positions.
Definition of Google:
Pimps who prostitute other’s IP for financial gain
Google is naturally going to describe this (or any other) management shake-up in positive terms.
However, management shake-ups don’t happen when all is well with the company. (Except if the company’s CEO is ill.)
For a hint, look at a 1-year chart of GOOG stock.
Eric Smidt is creepy and crappy.
Now Eric Schmidt is available to fill my shoes at Apple. What do you think we were talking about during lunch at that cafe in Palo Alto.