Matt Brittin, a long-standing executive at Google, has announced he will step down from his role in the new year after almost two decades with the tech giant. Brittin, who has been serving as the president of Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) for the last decade, has played a pivotal role in Google's remarkable growth trajectory. When he joined the company in 2007, Google was valued at $215 billion. Today, it boasts a market valuation of an impressive $2 trillion.
Brittin shared his decision through a LinkedIn post, highlighting the transformative journey of internet accessibility since he began at Google. "When I joined Google, fewer than one in five people were online. Today, nearly 70% have the world’s information in their hands," he wrote. He remarked on the pivotal timing of his departure, coinciding with the advent of artificial intelligence's potential to impact global lives profoundly.
In his post, Brittin acknowledged the achievements of his colleagues, particularly those who founded Google DeepMind, celebrating their recent accolade of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Despite his departure, the identity of Brittin’s successor has yet to be disclosed. The appointment is expected to occur while he continues to steer the EMEA operations.
Brittin’s journey at Google began with his role as managing director for the UK and Ireland, a position he held for nearly five years. Following this, he advanced to vice-president for northern and central Europe, a role he fulfilled for three years before taking on the responsibility of leading Google's operations across the EMEA region in 2014.
Before embarking on his career with Google, Brittin's professional path included work as a consultant at McKinsey & Co and a role as commercial director for the media group Trinity Mirror, which has since been rebranded as Reach. In addition to his corporate achievements, Brittin once represented Team GB as an Olympic rower at the 1998 Seoul Olympics. Looking ahead, he plans to take a "mini gap year" following his departure.
Brittin's announcement comes amidst significant developments involving Google. This week, the US Department of Justice initiated legal proceedings which, if successful, could potentially curtail Google's use of certain components within its search business, aiming to mitigate its market dominance. However, Google has not commented on any potential link between these regulatory challenges and Brittin's impending departure.
Source: Noah Wire Services