Google’s new CEO Larry Page announced his new Senior Management Team last week in an effort to combine forces of key service components to form one unstoppable techno-hero like the Voltron cartoon from our childhood. Comprised of 6 Senior Vice Presidents- each representing an area of business. Several of these members are no surprise for anyone who closely follows the company. There has been a lot of chatter about notable exclusions, but I’m more interested in the 6 divisions that are represented making a clear indication about what Google finds to be the most important. These divisions are now:
1. Search: Now led by Alan Eustace (previously SVP of engineering and research), a big player in Google since 2002, it is no surprise that he now heads the division that is essentially the backbone of the entire company.
2. Social: Long time Microsoft exec, Vic Gundortra has quickly become a Google favorite, in large part because of his public demeanor and speaking prowess (watch Vic cooly interact with Conan in a hilarious 45 min. interview). He now leads the very prominent social team. How prominent? in 2001, all bonuses throughout the company have been tied to it’s social innovations. Google is clearly trying to make up for lost ground in the social arena- and is putting it best public figure to lead the charge.
3. YouTube and Video: Looking a bit like Jerry Seinfeld (at least in this picture) Salar Kamangar was made CEO of YouTube in late 2010, replacing co-founder Cha
d Hurley. However, Salar was essentially running the company for the past 2 years, being a critical leader of Youtube’s money-making business strategy, after it’s legendary $1.7 billion purchase in 2006.
4. Chrome: Sundar Pichai, hotly sought after by Twitter in early 2011, now leads Google’s Chrome strategy. He has been in charge of overall desktop strategy after joining in 2004.
5. Mobile: The founder of Android, Andy Rubin, is the natural pick for Google’s ongoing mobile strategy. After purchasing Android in 2005, Google has made huge inroads into mobile computing. Andoroid now is the most used mobile operating system for smart-phones in the U.S.
6. Ads: Most know that Google is as much a marketing as a search company (if not more). In 1998, Susan Wojcicki’s garage served as Google’s headquarters. As Google’s first marketer, she has been instrumental in the monetization of Google, turning it into an online marketing juggernaut. She now heads the Ads group.
That’s the new Google. Notably missing is Google’s Location team, lead by Marissa Mayer. Are they shifting from their aggressive local presence in search? Or just trying to make up ground, and hence adding emphasis, on Social? SEO’s like myself take note of the new focus on social, while the other areas are pretty predictable.
Your thoughts? Local going to join Google’s growing elephant graveyard of services that get left behind?