Several months ago we announced that Eric Schmidt, the CEO of Google who was brought on board to help the fledgling search company back in 2001, would be retiring from his position. The reigns of Google would be passed on to Larry Page, one of the search giant’s original founders, and Schmidt would take a back-seat, advisory role. The time has come for this shift, and already the waters of Google are becoming more turbulent.
While there’s been no announcement of widespread problems, complaints, or concerns with Page taking on the CEO position, we know at least this: Jonathan Rosenberg, the company’s VP of Product Management, has resigned. The reason cited is that Page requested that all upper-level employees make a long-term re-commitment to the company. Rosenberg states that he hadn’t been planning on staying past 2013, and so felt he couldn’t make such a commitment. Whether he resigned willingly or at request due to this inability is unconfirmed.
Rosenberg was brought on by Schmidt in 2002 and has worked closely with the now former Google CEO since. While Rosenberg didn’t have a direct relationship with Brin and Page (the original founders) he did have a strong influence on bringing other managers up in the company, including names like Susan Wojcicki and Marissa Mayer. Rosenberg’s resignation raises questions over whether upper-level management trusts Page’s leadership, and whether an impending management shake-up may be on the horizon. At the very least, the company will need a new VP of Project Management.
Keeping the management team on-board and committed the company is one of Page’s biggest challenges, especially since most of those in management have been earning enough that they’re now independently wealthy. That means that creative freedom, a sense of purpose, intellectual challenges, and incentives must be amplified to keep these brilliant minds engaged.
[via Mercury News]
