Google product chief steps down as Larry Page becomes CEO


5 Apr 2011

Google’s product chief Jonathan Rosenberg, who oversaw the teams who built Chrome and the Android OS, will step down, as he was unable to make a long-term commitment to the company.

According to MercuryNews.com, new CEO and Google co-founder Larry Page asked senior executives to make multiyear commitments to stay with the company.

However, Rosenberg was unable to agree to this, as he had planned to leave the company in 2013 when his daughter entered college, and resigned.

He plans to take time off and return to the company in a consulting role. He will also co-write a book with Google’s outgoing CEO Eric Schmidt about the values of Google’s management culture.

Rosenberg joined Google in 2002, bringing experience from other Silicon Valley companies, including Apple.

He built many of Google’s product management teams and mentored employees who became high-ranking members of staff, including Salar Kamangar, chief of YouTube, and Susan Wojcicki, head of advertising.

Rosenberg was also a member of the executive committee which made strategic decisions for Google.

Larry Page

Yesterday, Page took on the role as CEO of Google, replacing Schmidt who will now act as executive chairman.

Page was head of the company until Schmidt was brought in, in 2001.

Schmidt will focus on business and customer relations while Page will focus on strategy and product development.