谷歌高层大洗牌

    我近期在针对拉里•佩奇的新闻报道《成功的谷歌CEO生涯》一文中特别提到，佩奇成功执掌了一支特别稳定的管理团队。

    然而，此一时彼一时。这两天，拉里•佩奇重组了自己的“L团队”（“L”是拉里团队的简称），将谷歌（Google）的产品团队从七支压缩成五支。

    上周三，佩奇宣布，掌管Chrome和App业务的高级副总裁桑达•皮查伊将同时接管安卓部门，而安卓部门的创始人和主管安迪•鲁宾将就此退任。上周四，谷歌证实了《华尔街日报》（Wall Street Journal）的一则报道，即曾主管谷歌地图、商务和支付业务的杰夫•胡贝尔将调入公司的特别团队Google X。这样一来，地图部门就并入了搜索集团，由艾伦•尤斯塔斯领导；而商务和支付业务将被整合到广告产品部，由苏珊•沃西吉掌管（L团队的另两个产品部门的主管一个是负责Google+的维克•古多塔，另一个是掌管YouTube的萨拉•卡曼嘉）。

    对于这些变动，谷歌自己并未过多置评。佩奇写道，鲁宾将“掀开谷歌发展的新篇章”。佩奇一直对规模庞大、雄心勃勃的项目情有独钟（比如安卓，2004年它还只是个鲁宾领导的微不足道的小项目，但现在呢，它已在7.5亿台智能手机和平板电脑上运行了）。他最后来了句：“安迪，请再搞几个登月项目！” 同时，谷歌的一位发言人称，已在谷歌效力十年之久的胡贝尔是一位“杰出的管理者”，他“更喜欢在类似创业企业的环境中工作”。

    尽管这两大调整有诸多明显的相通之处，但也有很多重大差别。

    安卓已经大获成功了，但鲁宾的调任多少有点让人吃惊。它标志着皮采在谷歌得到了擢升。这位寡言少语、擅长分析的高管自Chrome项目启动起就一直担任掌舵人。仅仅四年功夫，Chrome已成为互联网上用户最多的浏览器。而Chrome操作系统就需要加把劲了。这个系统已用于一系列叫Chromebook的廉价笔记本电脑和最近推出的高端产品Pixel。

    去年11月，我采访了佩奇后，皮采突然过来要和佩奇碰个头。几分钟后，他们俩又回来和我聊了会儿。我觉得，他们俩关系很好，可以说是既和睦又轻松。我们聊到Chromebook时，佩奇提到了自己一度要推出100美元的笔记本电脑的梦想。几年前这好像还不可行，但现在似乎近在咫尺了，因为三星公司（Samsung）推出的Chromebook售价仅为250美元。很明显，佩奇对皮采的工作很满意。

    In my recent feature on Larry Page's successful tenure as CEO of Google, I noted that Page had presided over a remarkably stable management team.

    That was then. In a matter of two days, Page shook up the "L-team" (short for Larry's team), shrinking Google's product groups to five from seven.

    On Wednesday, Page announced that Sundar Pichai, the senior vice president in charge of Chrome and apps, was also taking over Android, as the founder and leader of that unit, Andy Rubin, would be stepping aside. On Thursday, Google confirmed a report in the Wall Street Journal that Jeff Huber, who headed maps, commerce and payments, would be moving to the company's skunk works unit, Google X. As a result, the mapping efforts are being merged with the search group, under the leadership of Alan Eustace, and the commerce and payments initiatives are folded into advertising products unit, headed by Susan Wojcicki. (The other two product area leaders of the L-team are Vic Gundotra, who oversees Google+, and Salar Kamangar, who is in charge of YouTube.)

    Google (GOOG) isn't saying much about the changes. Page wrote that Rubin would "start a new chapter at Google." Page, who is especially fond of big, ambitious projects (think Android, which in 2004 was a tiny startup headed by Rubin and is now powering 750 million smartphones and tablets), added: "Andy, more moonshots please!" Meanwhile, a Google spokesperson described Huber, a 10-year veteran of Google, as an "extraordinary executive" who "is eager to work in more of startup-like environment."

    While there are obvious parallels between the two moves, there are also major differences.

    Android has been a runaway success, and Rubin's departure was a bit of surprise. It marks the ascendency within Google of Pichai, a quiet, analytic executive who has led the Chrome project since its inception. In just four years, Chrome has become the most-used Internet browser. The Chrome operating system, however, which powers a handful of inexpensive laptops called Chromebooks, as well as the recently introduced Pixel, a high-end Chromebook, has yet to gain much traction.

    After I interviewed Page in November, Pichai popped in for a meeting with his boss. The two circled back to talk to me for a few minutes, and they seemed to have a warm, easygoing rapport. As we discussed Chromebooks, Page remarked that the dream of making a $100 laptop, which appeared improbable just a few years ago, now seemed tantalizing close, as the Samsung Chromebook costs just $250. It was clear that Page was pleased with Pichai's work.