Google ad head Susan Wojcicki to head-up YouTube in bid to boost ad revenues? (Update: Google confirms)

Photo: makers.com

The Information is reporting that the head of Google’s advertising products team, Susan Wojcicki, is likely to replace Salar Kamangar as the head of YouTube.

The move would send a clear signal that Google CEO Larry Page wants to zero in on the site’s ad products. While YouTube’s growth has continued, the site has struggled to charge more for its ads as the supply of videos continues to outstrip advertiser demand across the Web … 

Though there had long been rumors that Kamangar would be removed from the role, it had been expected that YouTube tech head Shishir Mehrotra would get the role.

The move may also have been motivated by a desire to retain Wojcicki – who was employee 16 in Google’s early days – within the Google group, as it had been suggested she was looking for the opportunity to do her own thing, possibly taking a CEO role elsewhere.

Kamangar is expected to take another senior role within Google.

Update: Google has confirmed the change to Re/code:

Google CEO Larry Page said in an emailed statement, “Salar and the whole YouTube team have built something amazing. YouTube is a billion person global community curating videos for every possibility. Anyone uploading their creative content can reach the whole world and even make money. Like Salar, Susan has a healthy disregard for the impossible and is excited about improving YouTube in ways that people will love”.