Photo: Google
Susan Wojcicki, the visionary who helped birth Google in her garage and transform YouTube into a global phenomenon, died Friday at 56.
A founding member of Google, Wojcicki was instrumental in building the company's advertising empire and served as YouTube CEO for nearly a decade. Her husband, Dennis Troper, and Google CEO Sundar Pichai announced her passing, revealing a battle with non-small cell lung cancer.
Wojcicki joined Google in 1998, renting out her garage to the company's founders. Her strategic mind was evident from the start as she spearheaded the creation of AdSense and orchestrated the pivotal acquisition of DoubleClick, laying the groundwork for Google's dominance in digital advertising.
In 2011, she reportedly championed the purchase of YouTube, a platform she would later lead to unprecedented heights, nurturing a generation of digital stars. Wojcicki's influence extended beyond technology, as she was recognized as one of the world's most powerful women.