Did you know Google paid Neal Mohan $100 million to stop him from joining X?

Neal Mohan's pivotal role in Google and YouTube's success is highlighted by a $100 million stock grant Google offered him in 2011 to prevent him from joining Twitter. This move underscores Mohan's deep expertise in ad business and product leadership.

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Although many people outside of the IT sector may not be aware with YouTube CEO Neal Mohan, he is regarded in Silicon Valley as one of the main contributors to Google and YouTube's success. A startling fact about his history has now surfaced, demonstrating how important he has been to Google.

In order to prevent Mohan from joining Twitter (now known as X) in 2011, Google gave him a huge $100 million stock transaction, according to a recent podcast featuring businessman Nikhil Kamath. Mohan was contacted for the position of Chief Product Officer by Twitter, which was seeking to hire someone with strong product leadership at the time.

Mohan was seriously contemplating the offer. But Google stepped in with a massive counter that generated news in the IT world, despite the fact that it was not well known to the general public. To ensure his retention, the corporation reportedly offered him restricted stock units worth more than $100 million, which were distributed over several years.

This wasn't a random decision; Mohan has been with Google since it acquired DoubleClick in 2007. He helped create Google's ad business and eventually became heavily involved in YouTube's expansion. His expertise and keen product sense made him an invaluable contributor to both platforms.

Mohan began his career at Andersen Consulting then attended Stanford to study electrical engineering before joining Google. After that, he joined NetGravity, a little business that later joined DoubleClick. He rose through the ranks and demonstrated his leadership abilities over the years, guiding DoubleClick through difficult times and increasing its appeal to Google for acquisition.

The $100 million retention offer was made at a time when Twitter required strong product leadership since it was only getting established. David Rosenblatt, a board member of Twitter and one of Mohan's previous mentors, allegedly tried to recruit him. However, the transaction was clinched by Google's prompt and significant counter-offer.

After continuing to alter YouTube's product orientation, Neal Mohan was named the platform's CEO in 2023. Stories like these demonstrate the type of faith and investment Google placed in him, not just with money but also with long-term vision, despite the fact that he generally maintains a low profile.