Google Parent Alphabet's Legal Head Leaving Amid Sexual Misconduct Troubles

Alphabet's new chief executive Sundar Pichai on Friday had the opportunity to re-shape the leadership of Google's parents, with the exit of chief legal officer David Drummond, whose external strategic role stemmed from his personal relationship with a subordinate Was controlled by employee concerns about.

Drummond, senior vice president of corporate development, has been with Google since it began in 1998. He joined the company as an outside lawyer, winning the business of co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin. He later spent nearly 18 years as the company's top lawyer and one of its few black executives.

Scrutiny focused on Drummond as a board last year to investigate the company's sexual misconduct complaints throughout the workforce, and she became a lightning rod for criticism viewed by some employees as tolerant for bad behaviour.

Pichai now has his first major chance to make his mark on Alphabet's leadership as Page and Brin relinquish him to the company's day-to-day affairs last month.

Drummond's last day is Jan. 31, and a replacement has not yet been decided, Alphabet said.

Drummond said in an email, "With Larry and Sergey now leaving their executive roles in Alphabet, the company is entering an exciting new phase, and I believe this is the right time for me to lead the next generation . " Employees shared by Google.

Drummond's role in the company was questioned by some employees after he reported in 2018 on an extramarital affair with Jennifer Blakely's subordinates, which began in 2004. Dating policy.


Blakely had a son with Drummond, but in August 2019 he publicly criticized him for not providing support. Drummond described himself as "far from perfect" in a statement. Blakely did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday.

Some shareholders have urged Alphabet to make changes that were within Drummond's scope, including greater financial transparency, larger share buybacks and a management shakeup. Alphabet shares have gained 6.5% this month as analysts have expressed optimism about potential changes.

Out of company norms, Drummond is not receiving an exit pay package. In recent weeks, Drummond sold more than $ 200 million of his Alphabet shares, bringing him about $ 90 million in the company's stock.

Among the shareholders of a lawsuit brought last year, along with other officials, she remains a defendant, accusing the Alphabet leadership of indulging sexual harassment scandals within the company including misdemeanours, including giving a grand exit package to two top executives for misconduct Was found responsible for

"While we are happy to see Mr. Drummond that he is no longer with the alphabet, we still intend to hold him accountable for controversial violations through his litigation," said Julie Goldsmith Racer, the lead litigant's attorney said.

The board completed an internal investigation last month, but has not made the findings public. Litigation may be in arbitration and is known as the Board's findings and consequential actions.

In 2018 Pichai said that Google made mistakes in some cases and introduced new procedures aimed at creating equity and transparency in harassment investigations.


Pichai said, "I am fully committed to progress on an issue that has been upheld in our society for a very long time ... and, yes, here on Google as well," titled Alphabet CEO.

The #MeToo movement has forced major changes in management and harassment policy in corporate America.

Through blog posts, congressional appearances and media interviews, Drummond's presence was felt in almost every public battle the company fought, as it crippled telecoms in the media on the path to traditional businesses and online domination.

Drummond has described himself as a diversity advocate, telling Fortune in 2017 that he "pushed" the company to do more on the issue. He encouraged Google to publish data about the demographics of its workforce, and in 2014 he attended a company meeting and spoke with colleagues frustrated by police violence against young black men.

When Google re-organized under Alphabet's umbrella in 2015, Page extended Drummond's role beyond managing the company's legal and regulatory problems to oversee its investment funds and distant ventures.


Earlier in his tenure, he defeated a lawsuit filed by insurance company Jio that would curtail the company's now-widespread search advertising business. He settled with Viacom's copyright infringement lawsuit, which could crush YouTube on its way to becoming the top online video destination. And he followed five major book publishers, which were able to enable Google to find their copyrighted works online.