Sundar Pichai (b. 1972) is an Indian-American technology executive who serves as the chief executive officer of Google LLC and its parent company, Alphabet Inc. [1] Having risen from a product-management role to lead two of the world's most influential technology companies, he is regarded as one of the most prominent figures in the global technology industry.
Early life and education
Sundar Pichai was born on 10 June 1972 in Madurai, in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, and grew up in Chennai. [1] After completing his schooling, he studied metallurgical engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur. [2] He subsequently moved to the United States, earning a master's degree in materials science and engineering from Stanford University and a Master of Business Administration from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. [1]
Career at Google
Pichai joined Google in 2004, where he initially worked on the company's toolbar and search products. He is widely credited with leading the development and 2008 launch of the Google Chrome web browser, which grew to become one of the most widely used browsers in the world. [2] His responsibilities expanded over time to include Chrome OS, Google Drive, Gmail and Google Maps, and he later took charge of the Android operating system. [1]
Leadership of Google and Alphabet
In August 2015, when Google reorganized itself under a new holding company named Alphabet Inc., Pichai was appointed chief executive officer of Google. [1] In December 2019 he additionally became CEO of Alphabet, taking over from co-founder Larry Page. [2] In these roles he has overseen the company's core products alongside its substantial investment in artificial intelligence, cloud computing and consumer hardware, a period during which Alphabet's revenue grew considerably. [1]
Recognition
Pichai is regularly listed among the world's most influential business leaders. [3] In 2022 he received the Padma Bhushan, one of India's highest civilian honours, in recognition of his contributions to trade and industry, and he has also been presented with a Global Citizen Award. [1]
