Who do you think Google? Do you know who Google's real owner is? Here are the faces behind the scenes of the technology giant Google and the control mechanisms…
Google the giant of the world of technology , is in almost every aspect of our lives. real of this giant company ? Are the founders, shareholders, or managers holding control? Let's go deep into this problem and try to solve Google's power dynamics.
1. Founders and First Steps: The Story of Larry Page and Sergey Brin
The first names that come to mind when Google's own ownership are Larry Page and Sergey Brin the founders of the company . In 1998, the duo was working on a search engine project, which they called “backrub” when he was a doctoral student at Stanford University. This project has become one of the most valuable companies in the world by taking the name Google
Page and Brin created a special structure to keep control in their hands even after the company's public offering (IPO): Double stock class system . In this system, the shares have 10 times more votes than normal shares (A shares). Thus, Page and Brin continued to have a say in the company's strategic decisions. However, in 2019, the duo announced that they quit the management of Alphabe T. So did this decision change who had control?
2. Alphabet: Shadow Power behind Google
Google's official owner, founded in 2015, Alphabet Inc. Holding company. Larry Page and Sergey Brin turned Google into a roof company that hosts many different companies. Under Alphabet:
- Google (search, youtube, Android),
- Waymo (autonomous vehicles),
- Verily (Health Technologies),
- Deepmind (Artificial Intelligence),
- There are units such as Google X (Advanced Technology Projects).
Sundar Pichai CEO of Alphabet , manages Google's daily operations. However, the founders, Alphabet's control shares (51.8%of the vote) in the hands of the "strategic decisions" continue to have a say. So technically, Google's owner is Alphabet, and the owner of Alphabet is Page and Brin. But even if this duo is withdrawn from the management of the company, it is known as “shadow bosses” thanks to the stock structure.
3rd shareholders: the effect of Wall Street on Google
The fact that Google is a public company means that most of its shares belong to investors. The biggest shareholders:
- Vanguard Group (%7,3),
- Blackrock (%6,1),
- Larry Page (%6,0),
- Sergey Brin (%5,7),
- Sundar Pichai (%0,04).
Large investors other than the founders often play a passive role. Because the double stock system is transferring the decision mechanism to a small group. However, Wall Street companies can closely follow Google's share performance and put an indirect pressure on the management. Hedge funds criticized the company, as Alphabet found slowly found artificial intelligence investments
4. Managers and Decision Mechanisms: Role of Sundar Pichai
With Larry Page and Sergey Brin withdrawing from daily operations, Sundar Pichai was the actual leader of Google. Pichai was appointed as Google CEO in 2015 and Alphabet CEO in 2019. Born in India, this engineer played a critical role in the success of projects such as Google Chrome and Android.
But Pichai's powers are not unlimited. Important decisions (major acquisitions, entry to new sectors) the Board of Directors of Halā Alphabet . On the Board:
- Larry Page,
- Sergey Brin,
- John Hennessy (Rector of Stanford),
- Diane Greene (VMware founder).
This structure shows that Google's control is not a single person, but in a “ecosystem ..
5. Users and states: Are they secret owners?
While discussing Google's real owner, we cannot ignore the role of users and states 80 %of Google's income comes from ads. Users who click or call these ads feed the company's economic power. In recent years, however, data privacy laws (GDPR, CCPA) and antitröst cases are restricting Google's freedom.
The US and the EU often sue Google on charges of “monopolism” and “data manipulation”. For example, in 2023, the EU Commission requested a fair competition in the advertising market by imposing a 4 billion dollars This reveals the indirect control of states on technology giants.
Who is Google? Conclusion: Google's owner is not a single person, a system
Google's ownership is a much more complex story than stocks. Larry Page and Sergey Brin hold the strategic power thanks to its stock structure, but the company's daily operation is entrusted to Sundar Pichai and his team. While Wall Street investors form economic pressure, states are limited to laws. Users are becoming part of this balance of power without realizing it.
Perhaps Google's real owner is the data itself . Because today, 92 %of all searches in the world are made on Google and this data continues to feed the company's power.
Those who feed Google's power: users or advertisers?
More than 80 %of Google's income comes from ads. This makes the claim that the company's “real boss” is advertisers. However, this is a vicious circle because there will be no advertising revenue without user data. After all, the power is shared among both users and advertisers.
Those who are curious about the ownership of Google with 20 SNS
- Are Google's founders still active in the company?
Larry Page and Sergey Brin were withdrawn from daily operations in 2019, but Alphabet's control shares and consultancy roles are continuing. - Why was Alphabet established?
To manage Google under a wider roof and focus on other projects (Waymo, Verily, etc.). - Does Sundar Pichai have a share?
Yes, Pichai has ~ 0.04% shares as of 2023. - Who is Google's biggest shareholder?
Corporate investors (Vanguard, Blackrock) have a large share, but vote rights are limited. - What happens if the founders sell their shares?
If the super vote is right, the control mechanism may change, but for now there is no such plan. - Who makes Google's decisions?
Strategic decisions are determined by Alphabet Board of Directors and founders. - Does public shares affect control?
No, because the voting power of the public shares is very low. - Are Google's employees owner?
Yes, employees are given stocks, but their shares are small. - Can states control Google?
Although the US and the EU try to influence with Antitrust cases, full control is not possible. - Who determines Google's data policies?
The policy team is acting in line with the compliance with the law and the vision of the founders. - Can Google's future ownership change?
If the founders sell their shares or die, the control structure may change. - Are Alphabet's other companies independent of Google?
Yes, companies like Waymo and Deepmind have their own CEOs, but financially depends on Alphabet. - Why is Google's advertising revenue so important?
Advertisements are more than 80 %of income; This allows him to preserve his autonomy. - Who controls user data?
Although the data is stored on Google's servers, its use policies are subject to laws. - Who determines Google's ethical rules?
Ethical committees, board of directors and external consultants constitute policy. - Are Sundar Pichai's powers limited?
Pichai is autonomous in daily operations, but in large strategies, it is compatible with the founders. - Do Google's competitors affect the ownership structure?
Competitors such as Meta, Microsoft can affect the balance of power in the market, but its ownership is not directly. - Who has a say in Google's artificial intelligence projects?
Artificial intelligence teams are carrying out projects with the approval of the Alphabet management. - Can the shareholders change Google's policies?
Since the voting rights are limited, the approval of the founders is required for major changes. - Who should we look at as Google's "real owner"?
Technically, shareholders, in practice the founders and their assignment team.
Result: Power is shared
control mechanisms rather than stocks . While the founders hold a symbolic power, the CEO and the management team are conducting daily work. Advertisers and users feed this ecosystem. In other words, “real power” is a set of shared dynamics.
