Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet and Google, has expressed profound sorrow over the passing of Susan Wojcicki, the former CEO of YouTube, who died after a two-year battle with cancer. Pichai took to social media platform X to share his grief, describing Wojcicki as an integral figure in Google’s history and an irreplaceable friend.

In his tribute, Pichai remarked, “Unbelievably saddened by the loss of my dear friend Susan Wojcicki after her courageous fight with cancer. She was central to Google’s history and it’s hard to imagine a world without her. Her influence as a leader and friend has profoundly impacted many, and we will miss her deeply. Our thoughts are with her family during this difficult time.”

Wojcicki, one of Google’s early employees, was recognized with the ‘Google Founders Award’ for her pivotal role in developing AdSense, which significantly boosted Google’s advertising capabilities. Her leadership at YouTube marked the platform’s evolution into a global giant, transforming it into a key resource for content creators and viewers worldwide.

Beyond her professional achievements, Wojcicki was known for her advocacy for women in technology, serving as a role model and inspiration to many aspiring leaders. She stepped down as YouTube CEO in February 2023, after a notable 25-year tenure with the Google-owned platform, during which she also contributed to Google’s marketing, image search, video and book search, and acquisitions like YouTube and DoubleClick.

Neal Mohan succeeded her as YouTube CEO, continuing her legacy of innovation and leadership in the tech industry.