Former YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki passed away Friday aged just 56 following a battle with cancer.
The pioneering female tech boss’ passing was announced by her husband Dennis Troper, who paid tribute to her ‘brilliant mind.’
Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai said Wojcicki had been living with cancer for two years, as he said it is ‘hard to imagine the world without her.’
Wojcicki’s death comes just months after her son Marco Troper died from a drug overdose.
Wojcicki became a well-known figure in Silicon Valley, primarily during her nine years at the helm of YouTube.
Earlier in her career, Wojcicki was credited with pushing Google executives to buy YouTube.
She was announced as CEO in 2014, and was named as one of TIME Magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world the following year.
She stepped down from the company in early 2023, saying she ‘decided to start a new chapter focused on my family, health and personal projects I’m passionate about.’
In his post sharing the news of his wife’s death, Troper said Wojcicki was ‘not just my best friend and partner in life, but a brilliant mind, 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 at this time.’
Wojcicki was also known as one of the first 20 employees of Google, which purchased YouTube in 2006 for $1.6 billion.
In his post on her death, Pichai said Wojcicki was ‘as core to the history of Google s anyone.’
‘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,’ he wrote.
‘We will miss her dearly. Our thoughts with her family. RIP Susan.’
Wojcicki and her husband Dennis Troper shared five children together, however their family experienced tragedy earlier this year when their son Marco was found dead.
Marco died inside a University of California, Berkely dorm room, of a suspected overdose.