Eric Schmidt, Google's former CEO, has reportedly resigned: Details here
Eric Schmidt, one of the most famous faces at Google, has reportedly resigned from the company. A CNET report has revealed that Schmidt, who held the position of Google's CEO between 2001 and 2011, has quietly left his most recent role earlier this year, marking the end of a two-decade-long career with the internet giant. Here's more about his departure.
Quiet departure in February 2020
According to the CNET report, Schmidt bid farewell to Google and Alphabet after resigning from the role of "technical advisor on science and technology issues" at the companies in February 2020. He had held the role since January 2018 and was best-known for bringing "adult supervision" to Google during its early years and leading its transformation into a global tech giant.
Reason for departure remains unclear
At the time of writing, the exact reason behind Schmidt's silent departure remains unclear. Google denied commenting on the matter, which is pretty odd given his huge involvement in the company's initial growth. Notably, reports indicate that Schmidt had been doubling down on backing technology and scientific breakthroughs and chairing advisory groups on military technology, and that may have prompted his exit.
No leadership role since 2017
It is also worth noting that Schmidt has not led Google or Alphabet for quite a while. After handing over the position of CEO to co-founder Larry Page, Schmidt served as the executive chairman of Google and later Alphabet. However, he had stepped down from those roles in 2017 and even left the company's board in 2019.
He was earning $1 per year in the final position
As the technical advisor, Schmidt was reportedly earning a salary of $1 per year, which implies his official departure was a mere formality that needed to be completed. He had two administrative assistants who have now been reassigned to other projects.
End of era for Google and Alphabet
Still, the official departure of Schmidt marks the end of an era for Google and Alphabet. He ran into some issues by being on Apple's board and downplaying privacy concerns but led the company successfully at a time when it was growing rapidly and branching out from being a simple search start-up to a tech conglomerate offering email services, smartphones, and a lot more.
