G is for Google
Key ideas
Page announces Alphabet and explains the reasoning: keep pushing into uncomfortable areas, run distant businesses independently under strong CEOs, and let Google's own CEO focus on its core.
- 1
Stay a bit uncomfortable on purpose
Page writes that companies tend to settle into incremental change over time, and that staying relevant in technology takes some discomfort. Page points to things Google did that seemed crazy, several of which Page says now have over a billion users.
- 2
Separate businesses that aren't closely related
Page describes Alphabet as mostly a collection of companies, with those far from Google's main internet products, such as the health efforts, moved out of Google. Page believes this allows more management scale and can make the company cleaner and more accountable, with Google's financials reported separately.
- 3
Put a strong CEO over each business
Page's model is a strong CEO running each business, with Page and partner Sergey serving them as needed. The two keep capital allocation, check that each business is executing, choose the CEOs and set their pay. Page says the aim is independence, which is also why Alphabet is not meant to be a big consumer brand.
- 4
Page hands Google to a successor
Page names Sundar Pichai as CEO of Google, saying Pichai has been saying what Page would have said and took on product and engineering responsibility the previous October. Page says this frees time to scale the company's aspirations, and that the help for Pichai will continue.
In Larry’s words
“But in the technology industry, where revolutionary ideas drive the next big growth areas, you need to be a bit uncomfortable to stay relevant.”
Larry Page·G is for Google·Read in context(opens the original in a new tab)“Fundamentally, we believe this allows us more management scale, as we can run things independently that aren't very related.”
Larry Page·G is for Google·Read in context(opens the original in a new tab)“In general, our model is to have a strong CEO who runs each business, with Sergey and me in service to them as needed.”
Larry Page·G is for Google·Read in context(opens the original in a new tab)About this entry
- Published
- Aug 10, 2015
- Publisher
- blog.google
- Type
- Essay
- Language
- English
- Added
- Nov 2, 2026
- Source last checked
- Nov 2, 2026
Cover photo of Larry Page, not from this work: Stansfield PL, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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