Former YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki dies of cancer aged 56

Susan Wojcicki, the former chief executive of YouTube and one of Google's earliest employees, has died at the age of 56 following a two-year battle with cancer.

The passing of the trailblazing tech executive was announced by her husband, Dennis Troper, in a poignant Facebook post where he lauded her "brilliant mind".

Sundar Pichai, the chief executive of Google and its parent company Alphabet, revealed that Wojcicki had been privately battling with cancer for two years. In a moving statement, Pichai remarked that it is"hard to imagine the world without her".

Wojcicki's death comes just months after her son Marco Troper died from a drug overdose.

Wojcicki became a well-known figure in Silicon Valley, primarily during her nine years at the helm of YouTube. Earlier in her career, Wojcicki was credited with pushing Google executives to buy YouTube.

She was announced as CEO in 2014, and was named as one of TIME Magazine's 100 most influential people in the world the following year.

She stepped down from the company in early 2023, saying she "decided to start a new chapter focused on my family, health and personal projects I'm passionate about."

In his post sharing the news of his wife's death, Troper said Wojcicki was "not just my best friend and partner in life, but a brilliant mind, loving mother, and a dear friend to many."

He added: "Her impact on our family and the world was immeasurable. We are heartbroken, but grateful for the time we had with her. Please keep our family in your thoughts at this time."

Wojcicki was also known as one of the first 20 employees of Google, which purchased YouTube in 2006 for $1.6 billion.

In his post on her death, Pichai said Wojcicki was "as core to the history of Google as anyone."

He wrote: "She was an incredible person, leader and friend who had a tremendous impact on the world and I'm one of countless Googlers who is better for knowing her. We will miss her dearly. Our thoughts with her family. RIP Susan."

Wojcicki and her husband Dennis Troper shared five children together. However, their family experienced tragedy earlier this year when their son Marco was found dead.

Marco died inside a University of California, Berkeley dorm room of a suspected overdose at 19 years old.

His grandmother, Esther Wojcicki, confirmed his death in a Facebook post shared in February: "Tragedy hit my family yesterday. My beloved grandson Marco Troper, age 19 passed away yesterday. Ourfamily is devastated beyond comprehension."

An autopsy report found high concentrations of cocaine, amphetamine and Xanax in his system at the time of death.