Google, Microsoft, Adobe, IBM, Palo Alto Network, and now Twitter are just a few tech giants run by CEOs of Indian origin. Parag Agarwal the newly appointed or as they say, unanimously appointed CEO, joined Twitter way back in 2011 as a distinguished software engineer.
WHAT HAPPENED ACTUALLY?
In what comes in as a not-so-surprising move, Jack Dorsey is no longer the CEO at Twitter. Such decisions are not taken overnight generally. There were rumors and talks for quite some months now. The Twitter board was in all probability looking to replace him. From Co-Founder to Chair to Exec Chair to Interim CEO to CEO, Jack Dorsey has finally decided to leave after 16 years at Twitter.
Have a look at his tweet below and you’ll know most of it.
For a Founder to believe that he himself could be the limiting factor to his giant company, and to place his company over his ego, Jack has all our love & respect, doesn’t he?
Parag Agarwal and his Role at Twitter:
- Already having worked in the research departments at Microsoft, AT & T and Yahoo, Parag started off at Twitter by working on ad-related products. He also worked on Artificial Intelligence.
- He joined as a software engineer in 2011 and got promoted to CTO in 2017.
- He was Twitter’s first Distinguished Engineer for his work across revenue and consumer engineering. He had a huge impact on the re-acceleration of audience growth in 2016 and 2017.
- Jack’s favorite Parag has always been a part of the core decision making group of Twitter.
- He was responsible for company’s technical strategy. Parag continuously strived to advance the state of Machine Learning across the company.
- Parag is not as famous as his Indian counterparts like Sundar Pichai and Satya Nadella when they became CEO in their respective companies Alphabet & Microsoft.
- Parag in his email to his employees does acknowledge the same fact. Read what he says, “I recognize that some of you know me well, some just a little, and some not at all. Let’s consider ourselves at the beginning-the first step towards our future. I’m sure you have lots of questions and there’s a lot for us to discuss. At the all-hands tomorrow we’ll have lots of time for Q&A and discussion. It will be the beginning of ongoing open, direct conversations I wish for us to have together.”
- CEO Parag will be given an annual compensation of $1 million along with stock compensation worth $12.5 million.
- According to a New York Times report, the insiders of Silicon Valley believe Parag to be similar in many aspects. Parag too is “quiet, polite, deeply technical and enthused about an internet where power and control are given back to users.”
Background of Parag Agarwal:
- Aged just 37, Parag is highly educated and talented.
- Parag an IITian from Mumbai did his PHD from Stanford University.
- Joined Twitter in 2011 as a distinguished Software Engineer.
- Gold Medal winner at 2001 International Physics Olympiad held in Turkey.
- Married to Vineeta Agarwal who is a general partner in a venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz.
Parag once came under the spotlight back in 2010 for his tweet which read, “If they are not gonna make a distinction between Muslims and extremists, then why should I distinguish between white people and racists.” He was quoting Aasif Mandvi during a story on The Daily Show.
Read what the outgoing CEO Jack Dorsey has to say for him
Jack in his tweet wrote: “The board ran a rigorous process considering all options and unanimously appointed Parag. He’s been my choice for some time, given how deeply he understands the company and its needs. Parag has been behind every critical decision that helped turn this company around. He’s curious, probing, rational, creative, demanding, self-aware, and humble. He leads with heart and soul and is someone I learn from daily. My trust in him as our CEO is bone-deep.”
Even in 2019, Dorsey announced a new decentralized social media project named Bluesky where he brought in Parag to monitor.
For a Co-Founder to speak in this manner for his incoming replacement, does tell us a lot about Parag Agarwal and his relationship with Parag. Let’s see what the future holds in store for him and Twitter.
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