Larry Page, Sergey Brin step down; Sundar Pichai promoted as Alphabet CEO
Washington: Google's India-born Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai will assume the leadership role at its parent firm Alphabet after the internet giant's co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin stepped down from its active management, making him one of the most powerful corporate leaders of the world.
Page and Brin are stepping down as CEO and president, respectively, of Alphabet, the company announced on Tuesday.
Pichai, 47, the current CEO of Google and a longtime executive at the company, will take over as CEO of Alphabet in addition to his current role.
Considered as a significant shakeup in the Silicon Valley company, the shuffle comes at a time when Google is facing mounting scrutiny over its size, data privacy practices and potential impact on society.
With Alphabet now well-established, and Google and 'Other Bets' operating effectively as independent companies, it's the natural time to simplify our management structure, the two Google co-founders wrote in a public letter.
"We've never been ones to hold on to management roles when we think there's a better way to run the company," they said.
"And Alphabet and Google no longer need two CEOs and a President. Going forward, Sundar will be the CEO of both Google and Alphabet. He will be the executive responsible and accountable for leading Google, and managing Alphabet's investment in our portfolio of Other Bets," said Page and Brin.
The cofounders will continue to serve on Alphabet's board of directors.
"We are deeply committed to Google and Alphabet for the long term, and will remain actively involved as Board members, shareholders and co-founders. In addition, we plan to continue talking with Sundar regularly, especially on topics we're passionate about!" they wrote.
Page and Brin, who founded the internet giant over two decades ago, took lesser roles in day-to-day operations in the company in 2015 when they turned Google into Alphabet.
In his statement, Pichai made it clear that the transition will not affect the Alphabet structure or the work they do day to day.
"I will continue to be very focused on Google and the deep work we're doing to push the boundaries of computing and build a more helpful Google for everyone," he wrote.
"At the same time, I'm excited about Alphabet and its long term focus on tackling big challenges through technology," he said in his email.
Pichai took over as CEO of Google in 2015 as part of the company's broader corporate restructuring to create Alphabet. Prior that, Pichai had held a variety of roles at the company, including overseeing Chrome, product chief of Google and head of the Android operating system.
Endorsing the leadership role played by Pichai ever since he was made Google CEO, Page and Sergey said the Indian-American brings humility and a deep passion for technology to their users, partners, and employees every day.
"He's worked closely with us for 15 years, through the formation of Alphabet, as CEO of Google, and a member of the Alphabet Board of Directors. He shares our confidence in the value of the Alphabet structure, and the ability it provides us to tackle big challenges through technology," they wrote.
"There is no one that we have relied on more since Alphabet was founded, and no better person to lead Google and Alphabet into the future," they said.
Pichai was born in Madurai, Tamil Nadu. He is an alumnus of Wharton business school, Stanford University and Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur.
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PM Modi wants to take away reservation, says Rahul Gandhi at Telangana rally
Hyderabad (PTI): Mounting his attack on the BJP, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was against reservations and wanted to take away quotas from the people.
Addressing an election rally at Nirmal under Adilabad (ST) Lok Sabha constituency in Telangana, he claimed that the ongoing general elections is taking place between two ideologies in which Congress is trying to safeguard the Constitution, while the BJP-RSS combine wants to end it and people's rights.
"Narendra Modi ji is against reservation. He wants to take away reservations from you. The biggest issue before the country is increasing reservation from 50 per cent," he added.
The Congress has in its manifesto promised that if the party forms the government at the Centre, it will breach the 50 per cent limit and increase the quotas beyond 50 per cent, he said.
BJP leaders also want reservations to end, he claimed.
Alleging that Modi privatised the public sector, Gandhi said the contract system implemented by the BJP-led government amounts to removing reservations.
"We will remove contract systems in government offices and the public sector. Permanent jobs would be available, not temporary jobs," he said.
"Narendra Modi has never said in his speeches till today that he will remove the 50 per cent barrier of reservations," Gandhi said.
He claimed that BJP leaders have told the countrymen that if their party wins elections, they will change and finish the Constitution.
"If the Constitution is finished, reservation will end," he said.
The BJP wants backward classes, dalits, adivasis remain backward, he alleged.
PM Modi waived off loans to the tune of Rs 16 lakh crore of about 22-25 people. "Rs 16 lakh crore means MNREGA money of 24 years, Narendra Modi ji gave to 22 people," he claimed.
The 22 rich people have money equivalent to what 70 crore Indians have. "The Congress is going to change this," he said.
Observing that the Congress government in Telangana implements poll promises like free travel for women in state-run buses, Gandhi said his party, if it comes to power at the Centre, would implement similar 'guarantees' across the country.
He said a list of poor families in the country would be taken up and Rs one lakh per annum would be deposited in the bank account of a woman from every family.
Noting that more than 90 per cent of the population comprises backward classes, adivasis, minorities and the poor in the general category, the Congress leader said they don't have a place in any organisation in the country.
The caste census proposed by the Congress would change the politics of the country because such poor and 90 per cent of people would come to know about their population and share, he said.
"We will make a survey of every organisation in the country. We will find out how much money the backward classes, dalits, adivasis and the poor have. After the caste census, there will be new politics in Telangana and in the country," he said.
The Constitution should be safeguarded and reservations should be increased, Gandhi said.
The incumbent government of the rich should be dislodged from power and the government of the poor, farmers, dalits and others should be installed, he added.
