Robert Kyncl will step down as YouTube’s Chief Business Officer after 12 years at the company, TheWrap has learned.
Kyncl will be replaced by Google veteran Mary Ellen Coe, who most recently was president of Google Customer Solutions. Coe will succeed Kyncl effective Oct. 3. Kyncl will exit the company in early 2023.
The exit will bring an end to a stellar run at the media giant for Kyncl during which he led the creation of YouTube’s original content team.
Prior to her 10 years at Google, Coe served as a partner with McKinsey & Co. for 12 years and advised consumer, media and tech companies. She currently sits on the board of Merck & Co.and was previously on the board of Whole Foods during its acquisition from Amazon.
“After 12 years of building YouTube’s business organization into the powerhouse that it is today, with a talented global team, millions of successful creators, and strong partnerships with many industries, Robert has decided to leave YouTube in 2023 to start the next chapter in his career,” CEO Susan Wojcicki said in a memo obtained by Variety. “Under his leadership, YouTube forged new relationships and partnerships in music, traditional media and tech, and our creator ecosystem – without him, the term ‘YouTuber’ wouldn’t be a mainstream term.”
Kyncl tweeted the news Monday, saying “YouTube is a great place to be at, and a great place to be from! After 12 incredible years, I’ve decided to move on to the next challenge soon. Working alongside creators, artists, media and music companies to transform media has been a privilege.”
As for his successor, Wojcicki said: “I’ve had the privilege of working with Mary Ellen over the years and she is a smart, effective leader who cares deeply about our users and her people.”
Wojcicki also noted that while the transition of power will occur Oct. 3, Kyncl will stay on until early 2023 “to ensure a smooth transition of leadership and complete key projects in music and product partnerships.”
Variety was first to report the news.