Summer 2010 I got some great advice. We had sold AdMob to Google and I was ready for my next startup. Mobile was exploding. I went to see Michael Moritz and jim goetz whose advice I trusted. They pushed me to stay at Google to learn from great leaders and build at scale. I did and it was the best professional decision I’ve ever made. 15 yrs later and another huge professional decision. I’ve decided now is the time for me to leave Google, a company that has become home, to focus on a subject about which I feel increasingly passionate - climate and energy. I am insanely proud to be a part of building YouTube, Search, Maps, Photos, Play, Android, Chrome, Gemini, Notebook and more - with the most extraordinary people in the world. In those 15 yrs, we rebuilt everything for mobile. We saw an explosion in the use of cameras, location, and payments. Our industry rethought UX for an always-connected consumer. Video is now everywhere and creators build unimaginably deep relationships with massive audiences. We utilized AI early to rebuild ad systems from the ground up. We reimagined relevance, formats, and measurement - and laid the foundation for what’s now a $250B+ ads business. We had revolutions in data science and built shared understanding of respect for users’ personal data. Disruption fueled immeasurable transformation. The science + creativity of digital advertising have evolved enormously. Our work has been in partnership with brands to utilize these new tools, evolve their businesses and redefine their relationship with consumers. I’ve worked in-market with partners in 15+ countries and appreciate the countless Google partners with whom we have navigated all of this change. I am endlessly grateful to the people with whom I have worked @ Google. Your curiosity and optimism. Your insight and vision. Your energy. Your principles and your empathy. I’ll need another post to express this in more detail. For now, I feel lucky to have been part of so many journeys and grateful that you have been part of mine. To the mentors that bet on me: Karim Temsamani, Susan Wojcicki, Neal Mohan, Nick Fox, Nikesh Arora, Dennis Woodside, Claire Hughes Johnson, Sridhar Ramaswamy, Jerry Dischler, Mary Ellen Coe, Allan Thygesen, Sissie H., Matt Brittin, Vidhya Srinivasan, Debbie W. thank you. And an enormous thank you to Philipp Schindler for 13+ yrs of challenge and encouragement. Your capacity to lead at enormous scale while maintaining depth is unreal. Thank you. I have been thinking about sustainability and efficient energy for years. I care about this beyond a political cycle. It matters to humanity and to my daughters. More on my plans soon. For now, huge thanks to Jason Jacobs Sierra Peterson, Matt Eggers, Peter Fernandez, Shashank Samala, Paul Gross, Aaron Bernstein and many others who helped me see the opportunity. LFG! Thank you Google. I’m beyond grateful and fiercely proud of all we have built, and this place will be forever part of me.
...And the thing that many of us would say that have worked closely with you, "It was never about Jason, but rather focusing on taking the next step forward for the person, the product, or the team." You are a rare combo of intelligence, humility and selflessness that has been immeasurably helpful to me and others! To be continued, and congrats Jason!
Congratulations, Jason!
Jason, you're an outstanding leader, and I consider myself very fortunate to have had the chance to learn from you while on your team in the Global mobile days. I'll never forget the time we had a supposedly important meeting on a product decision and you let us take the lead so you could attend your daughter's school performance. It was a great opportunity for us, but it was also you living your values. I think about it often as a parent. Wish you the best in your next chapter!
Jason, you're an extraordinary leader who has had extraordinary impact. You will be missed beyond measure, but even your graceful exit is a source of inspiration ... so your legacy lives on. All the very best to you.
Congrats Jason! Amazing run. Thanks for all your partership, support and mentoring at Google. As others have noted here you really created an outstanding model for collaboration that impacted so many positively. Grateful to have your support at Quilt.
It has been a privilege working under your leadership, Jason Spero. Your vision and leadership have been inspiring, but equally impactful was your dedication to building a connected and inclusive environment where everyone felt valued. Your empathetic approach to leadership is something I will always remember.
… and now the circle is closing. Congratulations, Jason, on a long and very successful run at Google, but also on the decision to start once more. It’s going to be life at its fullest.
Jason, just to name it, I wanted to take a moment to thank you. I'm forever grateful for your championing of the apps business over the years and creating such a special GPS squad. You've showed up as a sharp, strategic and empathetic leader and have made a lasting impact on the team and me. Thank you for everything, Jason. Wishing you all the very best in what comes next!
Congratulations! I look forward to seeing what you help build next & the impact you will have.
Big congrats on leaving your legacy, Jason Spero. Seems to have been meaningful to not just you… but many. Glad to have crossed paths towards the end.