Google to replace Advertising & Search's top boss in a major rejig

Google has decided to shakes things up in its leadership, announcing a significant reshuffle across some of its key divisions. In a message to employees on Thursday, CEO Sundar Pichai revealed that Prabhakar Raghavan, who has been steering Google’s search, advertising, and other crucial segments, is shifting into a new role as the company’s Chief Technologist.

Raghavan, after a long run leading various teams at Google for over 12 years, will now return to his roots in computer science.

This fresh role will see him working closely with Pichai and other leaders, helping shape the company’s technical vision and nurture Google’s culture of technological excellence.

Raghavan initially took charge of ads and commerce in 2018, before stepping up to oversee Google Search and Assistant in 2020.

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With Raghavan stepping into this more specialised role, Nick Fox, a close member of his leadership team, will now take the reins. Fox, who has been instrumental in launching products like Google Fi and RCS messaging, will head Google’s Search, ads, commerce, and geo divisions going forward.

Major restructuring across teams

The reshuffle doesn’t stop there, as Google has also announced other changes across its divisions.

The Gemini app team, under the leadership of Sissie Hsaio, will now be integrated into Google DeepMind, led by Demis Hassabis. Meanwhile, the Google Assistant team will become part of the company’s platforms and devices division.

Big moves amid big challenges

These changes come at an important time for Google as it continues to ramp up efforts in artificial intelligence. While the company is focusing on solidifying its position in the AI space, it’s also facing external pressure.

The US government is currently scrutinising Google’s search operations, with a potential breakup on the horizon if its business is deemed a monopoly.

The leadership shake-up signals that Google is not just refining its technical focus but also positioning itself strategically for the challenges ahead, both in innovation and regulation.