Eric Schmidt Steps Down as Google CEO, Larry Page Steps Up

Eric Schmidt announced Thursday that he was stepping down as CEO from Google, the company he has led to such great success for ten years. Stepping up to his place is Google cofounder Larry Page, and Eric Schmidt will maintain a role in the company as Executive Chairman.

Mr. Schmidt made the announcement in a blog entry, where he said that he, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, the company’s other cofounder, decided to make the change over last weekend.

It’s been a big week in technology leadership changes: The three have operated in a kind of triumvirate since Mr. Schmidt was brought to the company as CEO, and Mr. Schmidt said that arrangement would continue to one degree or another. Mr. Brin’s title will simply be Co-Founder, and his tasks will focus on new product development.

Mr. Schmidt wrote in his blog post, “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.”

This makes for a busy week in the area of World’s Largest Technology Companies having leadership changes. On Monday, Apple CEO Steve Jobs, a friend of Eric Schmidt, announced he was taking a medical leave of absence, leaving Apple COO Tim Cook responsible for the day-today running of the company.

Google Execs

Google’s caption for this photo: Eric, Larry and Sergey in a self-driving car in a photo taken earlier today
Source: Google