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Sundar Pichai: new Google boss went from house with little technology to join increasing number of Indian tech CEOs | Sundar Pichai: new Google boss went from house with little technology to join increasing number of Indian tech CEOs |
(5 months later) | |
Sundar Pichai is the new head of Google — the latest part of a journey that has taken him from a two room house in India that had barely any technology at all to the head of one of the world’s biggest internet companies. | Sundar Pichai is the new head of Google — the latest part of a journey that has taken him from a two room house in India that had barely any technology at all to the head of one of the world’s biggest internet companies. |
Pichai was born in Chennai, in India. His family of four, which included his parents and younger brother, lived in a two room apartment and the brothers slept on the living room floor. | Pichai was born in Chennai, in India. His family of four, which included his parents and younger brother, lived in a two room apartment and the brothers slept on the living room floor. |
The young Pichai was successful from the beginning, winning praise from his teachers and success in endeavours including cricket. | The young Pichai was successful from the beginning, winning praise from his teachers and success in endeavours including cricket. |
But he didn’t initially have the means to fulfil his technical ambitions. He saw the results of technology in part because of his father’s job at General Electric Company — but they didn’t have a television or a car. | But he didn’t initially have the means to fulfil his technical ambitions. He saw the results of technology in part because of his father’s job at General Electric Company — but they didn’t have a television or a car. |
But Pichai went to study metallurgical engineering at IIT Kharagpur. From there, his success took him to a scholarship at Stanford — Silicon Valley’s closest university — and from there to Google, in 2004. | But Pichai went to study metallurgical engineering at IIT Kharagpur. From there, his success took him to a scholarship at Stanford — Silicon Valley’s closest university — and from there to Google, in 2004. |
Pichai is far from the first Indian-born head of a technology company. But it means that two of the world’s five biggest companies are run by people with Indian origins — Satya Nadella, the head of Microsoft, was born in Hyderabad — and a range of other companies have bosses from the country, including Mastercard and Adobe. | Pichai is far from the first Indian-born head of a technology company. But it means that two of the world’s five biggest companies are run by people with Indian origins — Satya Nadella, the head of Microsoft, was born in Hyderabad — and a range of other companies have bosses from the country, including Mastercard and Adobe. |
As the BBC notes, Indian papers have hailed Pichai’s ascent. The new is “ a bonus for people of Indian-origin the world over,” wrote The Hindu, and the Times of India said that his appointment was a “a milestone for Indian-origin CEOs”. | As the BBC notes, Indian papers have hailed Pichai’s ascent. The new is “ a bonus for people of Indian-origin the world over,” wrote The Hindu, and the Times of India said that his appointment was a “a milestone for Indian-origin CEOs”. |
Pichai even won congratulations from India's prime minister, Narendra Modi. | Pichai even won congratulations from India's prime minister, Narendra Modi. |
Studies have praised the Indian style of management, arguing that India has a tendency to turn out the top-level leaders that it does because of its particular management culture, which emphasises humility and professional will at the same time. | Studies have praised the Indian style of management, arguing that India has a tendency to turn out the top-level leaders that it does because of its particular management culture, which emphasises humility and professional will at the same time. |
Pichai’s rise to the top began just over 10 years ago. He got his start by helping kick off Chrome, the now hugely successful web browser, and gradually accrued more responsibilities — including Chromebooks and Google’s online services, like Gmail and Google Docs. | Pichai’s rise to the top began just over 10 years ago. He got his start by helping kick off Chrome, the now hugely successful web browser, and gradually accrued more responsibilities — including Chromebooks and Google’s online services, like Gmail and Google Docs. |
Soon he took control of Android — one of the biggest and toughest products at Google — and then much of the most important parts of the company. | Soon he took control of Android — one of the biggest and toughest products at Google — and then much of the most important parts of the company. |
Now, Pichai looks after all of the company’s most important products. But according to his colleagues, Pichai is still relaxed and tidy in his work. | Now, Pichai looks after all of the company’s most important products. But according to his colleagues, Pichai is still relaxed and tidy in his work. |
“Executives in Pichai's position tend to lead their teams with vision, charisma, bombast, or (usually) some combination of all three,” the Verge wrote in a profile in May, just before the most recent Google I/O developer conference. “But there's no bombast to Pichai. His office is clean to the point of being spartan, and that simplicity is reflected in his demeanor. | “Executives in Pichai's position tend to lead their teams with vision, charisma, bombast, or (usually) some combination of all three,” the Verge wrote in a profile in May, just before the most recent Google I/O developer conference. “But there's no bombast to Pichai. His office is clean to the point of being spartan, and that simplicity is reflected in his demeanor. |
“Pichai is thoughtful and friendly in person, nodding carefully as he listens and then responding with real empathy.” | “Pichai is thoughtful and friendly in person, nodding carefully as he listens and then responding with real empathy.” |
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