Google announced some govt changes final evening with Liz Reid being named the brand new head of Google Search. Pandu Nayak stepped down because the lead of search high quality and rating. Cathy Edwards stepped down because the lead Google Apps, Google Information, Google Uncover and different ecosystem efforts. Lastly, Cheenu Venkatachary has stepped as much as lead our high quality and rating groups, rather than Pandu Nayak.
Liz Reid was main up core search experiences for the previous few years. Now she is main up all of Search, nonetheless reporting to Prabhakar Raghavan, who changed Ben Gomes in 2020. Prabhakar Raghavan leads up all of Google Search, not simply core search but in addition Data & Info (Okay&I), which is inclusive of quite a lot of totally different areas, together with Advertisements, Assistant & Gemini, Geo, Commerce and extra.
Here’s what Liz posted on LinkedIn:
Right this moment, I’m taking over a brand new position main Search, and am humbled by the chance to form the way forward for this essential product.
I joined Google in 2003 as one of many first engineers constructing Google Native, which laid the inspiration for the native data you discover in Google Search and Maps as we speak. In my early days, I targeted on fixing the technical challenges of surfacing prime quality, correct native data in our merchandise. We might take this with no consideration now, however again then, it wasn’t really easy to search out an ideal native pastry store close to you in an unfamiliar metropolis.
Folks belief Google Search to offer them correct solutions, and to offer the perfect hyperlinks to discover on the internet. And it’s an thrilling time for Search. We’re seeing constructive Search question development in all of our main markets. Folks’s data wants proceed to develop, so we’ll preserve evolving and bettering Search – earlier this month we up to date our spam insurance policies and rating programs to enhance high quality considerably. We’re serving to individuals search in completely new methods — whether or not that’s looking out what they see with Lens or what they scribble with Circle to Search. And we’re piloting AI-powered overviews with Search Generative Expertise (SGE).
In actual fact, individuals have already issued billions of queries with SGE since we launched it as a function in Search Labs final yr. We’ve had extremely constructive suggestions on the mix of fast solutions and the flexibility to dive deeper on the internet. With SGE, we’re in a position to serve a wider vary of data wants and reply new sorts of questions, together with extra advanced questions, like comparisons or longer queries. Extra coming quickly!
I am extremely grateful to work with an incredible staff at Google that’s working tirelessly to enhance and evolve Search. As I step into this new position, I can’t wait to proceed our mission, serving to individuals all over the place discover solutions to even their most difficult questions.
Right here is the assertion Google despatched me:
We’re happy to share that we’re unifying the Search org beneath Liz Reid – a longtime and well-respected chief at Google with deep product and technical data. We have now nice momentum in Search, with current enhancements in search high quality, new methods to look like Circle to Search, and options utilizing gen AI to assist with much more advanced questions. For instance, SGE, nonetheless solely a Search Labs function, has already been used for billions of queries. We’re excited to carry our Search groups collectively beneath her management.
Pandu Nayak is staying with Google however transferring into what appears to me much less of a busy position. He’s changing into Chief Scientist, Search. On this new position he proceed to advise and concentrate on technical challenges in Google Search. Pandu will stay deeply concerned in our broader efforts round content material understanding, rating and exploring how new AI applied sciences can improve Google Search, Google instructed me. We have written quite a bit about Pandu Nayak on this website, he has been extremely influential through the years at Google Search, particular to core search.
Cathy Edwards who I interviewed for SMX on SGE is transferring again dwelling to Australia to be nearer to their household. Cathy Edwards has had an extremely profitable and spectacular profession, having created start-up successes that had been acquired by Apple after which Google. Apple acquired her firm named Chomp in 2012. She will probably be transferring to to the Lengthy-term Bets staff in Data & Info (Okay&I), the place they will assist incubate new product concepts in partnership with leaders throughout Okay&I. It matches her begin up profession.
Cheenu Venkatachary will step as much as lead Google’s Search high quality and rating groups. Venkatachary labored at Google from November 2009 via December 2014. He then co-founded Laserlike in July 2015, which was acquired by Apple in 2018. He then left apple to return to Google as a VP of Engineering in October 2022, to then be promoted to guide Google Search high quality and rating in March 2024.
So there you’ve got it – these are the chief adjustments impacting Google Search proper now.
Right here is a number of the search engine marketing response to this point to this information:
Massive information. Liz Reid will probably be head of Search at Google. Pandu is stepping down and changing into Chief Scientist of Search. https://t.co/NoGtV3FlQo
— Glenn Gabe (@glenngabe) March 19, 2024
“Put a lady in cost” – how I hope the dialog went 😂😂😂
— Lily Ray 😏 (@lilyraynyc) March 19, 2024
⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️ lets see what this alteration will carry. https://t.co/BAEtnguLOb
— Gianluca Fiorelli (@gfiorelli1) March 19, 2024
Thanks Barry, that is the perfect information I’ve heard since September! I hope it occurs for the remainder of the staff.
— hanil Hanil (@hanil6323) March 19, 2024
Nicely, extra attention-grabbing adjustments at Google!
Liz Reid replaces Pandu Nayak as head of search high quality.
Pandu Nayak is now “chief search scientist.”
Cheenu Venkatachary will lead the search high quality and rating groups https://t.co/EWcMXmVW5U
— Marie Haynes (@Marie_Haynes) March 19, 2024
Discussion board dialogue at LinkedIn.