Taking a page out of Steve Jobs’ playbook, new Google CEO and co-founder Larry Page has restructured upper management at Google to streamline the decision making process and make the individual departments more autonomous.
This move, which is happening a week into his reign, marks a dramatic shift in the way Google does business. It matches the style that the Android and YouTube divisions have used for years. Both have been considered extremely successful.
The LA Times says the move is designed to “try to restore the sense of urgency and innovation that was once the company’s calling card.”
For years, Google has operated with their operating committee run by former CEO Eric Schmidt making most of the major decisions. Now, senior vice-presidents will have the power to run their divisions as individual organizations similar to the way that Apple operates under Steve Jobs.
The promotions include:
- Andy Rubin who – senior vice president of mobile
- Vic Gundotra – senior vice president of social
- Sundar Pichai – senior vice president of Chrome
- Salar Kamangar – senior vice president of YouTube and video
- Alan Eustace – senior vice president of search
- Susan Wojcicki – senior vice president of ads
Will the move towards relevance help Google fight battles on multiple fronts? They are in major battles currently with Apple over mobile operating systems, Facebook over social, Bing over search, and everyone else over web browsers.
Time will tell if this actually changes outcomes. Google has been all over the map lately.