Facts you should know about Sundar Pichai
January 1, 2020
Larry Page just announced that Google has become part of a new parent company calledAlphabet Inc. As part of the deal, Google’s iconic co-founders Page and Sergey Brin stepped out of their roles within Google, appointing Sundar Pichai CEO.
Facts about Sundar
With this reorganization of Google/Alphabet Inc., Pichai will control: search, ads, maps, the Google Play Store, YouTube, and Android.
In February 2014, Pichai was rumored to be in active negotiations with Microsoft to become that tech giant’s third CEO.
His colleagues tell Bloomberg that Pichai tends to walk it out when he’s deep in thought. It’s not unusual for him to wander away in the middle of a meeting, only to return with the solution to whatever problem is being discussed.
Born in Chennai in the state of Tamil Nadu, India, in 1972, Sundar’s full name is Pichai Sundararajan. Though he had a modest upbringing, he’s now worth a reported $150 million.
His father, an electrical engineer, had to save for three years to buy the family a new scooter, but made sure Pichai and his brother had the best education the family could afford, at Padma Seshadri Bala Bhavan.
According to Business Insider, Pichai was skilled at staying out of politics and drama at Google. When he reported to Marissa Mayer, he reportedly sat outside her office for hours, if necessary, to make sure his team had good performance reviews.
Pichai had been Page’s right-hand man for some time and is credited with trying to convince WhatsApp founder Jan Koum not to sell to Facebook. He also helped Page convince Nest’s Tony Fadell to merge his company with the Google team, among other things.
Pichai has an unusual gift that seemed little more than a curiosity to him when he was a child, but has served him incredibly well in adulthood: he has insane numerical recalland can remember every number he’s ever dialed.