One of Google's top executives is leaving the company. Senior vice president and head of Google+,Vic Gundotra, revealed on Thursday he plans to part ways with the search giant after nearly eight years on the job.
In his announcement on Google+, Gundotra said now is the time for a new journey and he is excited for what is next. He praised co-founder Larry Page for his encouragement and support during his tenure. Gundotra stopped short of explaining his reasoning or what the future might hold, instead saying today was a day to celebrate the past eight years.
It's a big blow for the company as Gundotra started Google I/O, was responsible for all mobile applications at one point and created Google+ "from nothing" according to Page. The co-founder said in his own Google+ post that there are few people with the courage and ability to start something like that and he was very grateful for all his hard work and passion.
Google+ will now be led by David Besbris, VP of engineering. Like Gundotra, Besbris has also been a part of the Google+ team since the very beginning and got the nod over Google+ VP Bradley Horowitz.
Will the management shuffle have any impact on the future of the social network? According to TechCrunch, the answer is "yes." The publication claims multiple sources have told them Google+ will no longer be considered a product, but rather a platform - a decision that would all but end its competition with other popular networks like Facebook and Twitter.
For what it's worth, Google has categorically denied these claims.