From humble beginnings to billionaire club: Sundar Pichai's stunning rise
What's the story
Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Alphabet Inc., has become a billionaire with a net worth of $1.1 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. This comes as Alphabet's shares near an all-time high, adding over $1 trillion in market value since early 2023 and returning about 120% to investors. Despite not being a company founder, Pichai's wealth is primarily attributed to his stake in Alphabet and the bulk of his cash holdings.
Career trajectory
Pichai's journey at Google
Pichai, who joined Google in 2004, has had a stellar career at the company. He played a key role in developing the Chrome browser and headed the Android division before being named CEO in 2015. Under his leadership, Google restructured itself as a subsidiary of parent company Alphabet and focused on areas beyond its core search function. Pichai was also appointed CEO of Alphabet in 2019. His total compensation for 2024 was roughly $10.7 million.
AI investment
Investments in AI and acquisitions under Pichai
Pichai has been instrumental in pivoting Google toward artificial intelligence (AI). The company's first major AI investment came in 2014 with the $400 million acquisition of London-based start-up DeepMind. Last year alone, Pichai oversaw an increase in capital expenditures by about $50 billion on AI-specific projects such as energy capacity, semiconductors, and data centers. The company also continues to grow through acquisitions like coding start-up Windsurf for $2.4 billion earlier this month.
Wealth distribution
Economic stake in Alphabet and stock sales over the years
Pichai holds a 0.02% economic stake in Alphabet, which is worth about $440 million. However, most of his wealth is in cash. Over the last decade, he has sold more than $650 million worth of Alphabet stock, costing him over $1 billion in potential gains. If he had retained all his shares, his stake would be worth over $2.5 billion at current prices.
About Pichai
Pichai holds a Bachelor of Technology degree from IIT Kharagpur
Pichai was born on June 10, 1972, in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, to Regunatha Pichai, an electrical engineer, and Lakshmi, a stenographer. Raised in a modest two-room apartment, Pichai showed early academic promise. He earned a Bachelor's degree in Metallurgical Engineering from IIT Kharagpur. He then received a scholarship to Stanford University, where he completed his Master's in Material Sciences and Engineering. The billionaire later obtained an MBA from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.