In a recent episode of Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath’s podcast, a striking revelation surfaced about Google’s aggressive strategies to retain its top talent. Back in 2011, Google reportedly offered Neal Mohan, now the CEO of YouTube, a staggering $100 million in restricted stock units to prevent him from leaving for Twitter.
Kamath brought up the detail during the podcast, recalling how Mohan was nearly poached by Twitter, where his former mentor David Rosenblatt had joined the board. Though Mohan didn’t directly confirm the amount, he also didn’t deny it. TechCrunch reported the $100M stock offer to Neal Mohan would vest over years, aimed at blocking Twitter’s plan to make him Chief Product Officer.
Mohan’s background reflects a steady rise in the tech world. A graduate of Stanford University in electrical engineering, he began his career at Andersen Consulting before joining NetGravity. After NetGravity was acquired by DoubleClick, Neal Mohan became VP of Business Operations, marking a key step in his rise through the tech industry. When Google bought DoubleClick for $3.1 billion in 2007, Mohan transitioned into a pivotal leadership role within Google’s advertising division.
By 2011, his impact on product strategy, particularly involving YouTube and advertising, made him a high-value asset. Google wasn’t just worried about Mohan leaving—around the same time, Twitter also attempted to woo Sundar Pichai, then leading Chrome and Chrome OS. In response, Google reportedly offered Pichai a $50 million stock grant to stay.
Today, both Mohan and Pichai stand as two of the most influential leaders in the global tech industry. Neal Mohan became CEO of YouTube in 2023, following Susan Wojcicki’s departure. Sundar Pichai took over as Google CEO in 2015 and rose to become CEO of Alphabet Inc. in 2019.
