Susan Wojcicki, a trailblazer in the tech industry who served as YouTube’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for nearly 10 years, passed away on Friday (August 9). News of her death was confirmed by her husband, Dennis Troper, via social media. The cause of death was non-small cell lung cancer, which she had fought for two years. She was 56.
Troper wrote, “It is with profound sadness that I share the news of Susan Wojcicki’s passing. My beloved wife of 26 years and mother to our five children left us today after 2 years of living with non-small cell lung cancer. Susan was not just my best friend and partner in life but a brilliant mind, a loving mother, and a dear friend to many. Her impact on our family and the world was immeasurable. We are heartbroken but grateful for the time we had with her. Please keep our family in your thoughts as we navigate this difficult time.”
Wojcicki was born in Santa Clara, California, on July 5, 1968. Her father, Stanley Wojcicki, was a physics professor at Stanford and her mother, Esther Wojcicki, was a teacher. She graduated from Harvard in 1990 with a bachelor’s degree in history and literature before earning a master’s in economics at the University of California, Santa Cruz in 1993. She received an MBA from the UCLA Anderson School of Management in 1998. Wojcicki married Troper, who currently works at Google as a director of product management, on Aug. 23, 1998.
Wojcicki joined Google in 1999 as one of the company’s first 20 employees and played a crucial role in the company’s billion-dollar acquisition of YouTube in 2006. She became YouTube’s CEO in 2014, overseeing the platform’s massive global expansion, including the introduction of YouTube TV and the development of Google’s image search.
Under her leadership, YouTube landed licensing deals within the music industry and successfully launched YouTube Music and YouTube Premium in 2018. Universal Music Group’s (UMG) Sir Lucian Grainge personally congratulated Wojcicki when YouTube Music reached 50 million subscribers in 2021.
Wojcicki worked closely with Robert Kyncl, now CEO of Warner Music Group, and played a crucial role in bringing Lyor Cohen on board as Global Head of Music at YouTube in 2016. Today, YouTube Music and YouTube Premium have over 100 million paying subscribers globally, making YouTube the second-largest commercial partner of music rightsholders. YouTube aspires to become the No.1 partner in the industry.
Tributes poured in from around the industry. You can read some below.
Melinda Gates via X: “Susan Wojcicki broke the mold. She was a visionary leader who intentionally pried open doors for the many young women who have followed her footsteps – and she remains a role model for people of all backgrounds who dream of careers in tech as meaningful and impactful as hers.”
Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet: “Unbelievably saddened by the loss of my dear friend @SusanWojcicki after two years of living with cancer. She is as core to the history of Google as anyone, and it’s hard to imagine the world without her. She was an incredible person, leader and friend who had a tremendous impact on the world, and I’m one of countless Googlers who is better for knowing her. We will miss her dearly. Our thoughts with her family. RIP Susan.”
Wojcicki is preceded in death by her son Marco. She leaves behind her husband and four children.
RIP.
