Google Cloud CEO Diane Greene to be replaced by ex-Oracle president Thomas Kurian in early 2019
Google Cloud CEO Diane Greene is stepping down in early 2019, when ex-Oracle product development president Thomas Kurian is expected to take over the reins of the company.
Ex-VMware co-founder Greene joined Google Cloud as CEO after its parent company acquired Bebop, the enterprise application management startup she founded, in December 2015
In a blog post, confirming her imminent departure, Greene revealed she initially planned to stay at the company for only two years, and is stepping down now so she focus on her philanthropic work.
This includes encouraging every woman engineer and scientist to consider creating their own company through mentoring and education initiatives, as the “world would be a better place with more female founder CEOs”, she wrote.
“The work in education will especially be initiatives that combine technology with in-person teaching to make high-quality education that is low-cost, scalable and personalised,” she said.
“When Bebop was purchased by Google, I committed all my proceeds to philanthropy. It is high time I put that money to work.”
During her three-year tenure, Green has overseen Google’s ongoing push to position its public cloud platform as enterprise-ready, and has – accordingly – seen its customer base broaden from being predominantly startup-focused to include a number of Fortune 1000 companies.
As such, its reference customers now include the likes of HSBC, PayPal, Target, 20thCentury Fox, Spotify, Sky and Sony.
“When this journey started, some people would say that Google had great technology but they weren’t sure that customers could rely on Google as their enterprise partner,” she said.
“At our recent Google Cloud Next event in San Francisco, we had over 23,000 attendees, representing 10x growth from 2016. With nearly 300 customers speaking about how Google Cloud is helping to transform their businesses, no-one was questioning our seriousness or our abilities.”
According to the latest public cloud market tracker data from Synergy Research, Google Cloud’s share of the market now stands at 8%, having risen by a single percentage point over the past four quarters, putting it in third place.
For context, the market leader, Amazon Web Services (AWS), holds 34% share, while Microsoft is the second largest with 14%.
Google has also latterly moved to use its artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning portfolio as a point of competitive difference between it and its other public cloud competitors.
Accordingly, it has also rolled out a number of product updates and training initiatives, geared towards lowering the enterprise barriers to AI adoption, so that more businesses can incorporate the technology into their everyday business activities.
Point of differentiation
This work is called out in Greene’s blog post as an example of one of a number of areas Google has established as a point of differentiation between what it and its competitors can provide enterprises in the cloud.
“Our technology development has been recognised throughout the industry, and Google Cloud is differentiated in security, AI, open hybrid application modernisation, G Suite, and many other areas,” she said. “We are now recognised as a leader in 11 Gartner Magic Quadrants and Forrester Waves.”
“But here’s what I’m most proud of: the phenomenal team assembled and how we together have built out all of our functions for customer-facing enterprise readiness and engineering enterprise execution.”
Kurian, Greene’s successor, is set join Google Cloud on 26 November after 22 years at Oracle, and will “transition” into the role of CEO by “early 2019”, the blog post confirmed.
He formally resigned from Oracle in September 2018, according to US media reports, initially telling his fellow employees he was taking an extended break from the firm, before a filing with the United States Security and Exchange Commission emerged later that month, confirming his resignation.
In a short statement at the end of the post, Thomas said he was looking forward to joining Google Cloud at time when the market is still, as Greene describes, in its infancy.
“I’m looking forward to building on the success of recent years as it enters its next phase of growth,” said Kurian.
source computerweekly
Industry: Cloud News
Latest Jobs
-
- Senior Client Microsoft Security Delivery Consultant - Hybrid (London | Remote)
- London
- N/A
-
Senior Client Microsoft Security Delivery Consultant - Hybrid (London | Remote) We are seeking an experienced technical Security Consultant to help clients deploy and enhance their cyber defences across Microsoft and vulnerability management technologies. You will work with enterprise customers to deliver tailored solutions across threat detection, endpoint protection and exposure management, ensuring security platforms are efficient, integrated and aligned with operational goals. Whilst you won't do the design yourself- you will work alongside technical Presales to document, agree and then deliver the solution. You will have experience leading delivery the implementation and improvement projects, providing hands-on support with configuration, integration and optimisation. You will assess existing environments, recommend enhancements and guide clients on best practice to strengthen visibility and control. Strong experience with SIEM, XDR and vulnerability tooling (Microsoft & Tenable ecosystems ideal) Understanding of Azure security, identity and access controls Background in consulting or project-based cyber delivery Clear communication skills with the ability to engage senior stakeholders Extra points if you have the SC-100. You must be eligible to achieve UK Security Clearance to be considered for this role.
-
- Account Director | Cyber Security Consulting | UK - South East
- London
- N/A
-
Account Director | Cyber Security Consulting - Financial Services | UK - South East. New Role due to Growth We are looking for an experienced Account Director to develop and expand existing relationships across the financial services sector, working with investment firms, asset managers, private equity groups and strategic partners to deliver intelligent cyber consulting and a bespoke Cyber product offerings. You will act as a trusted advisor, helping organisations strengthen digital resilience, manage third-party and regulatory risk and adopt a proactive approach to cyber assurance. Key Responsibilities Manage a defined portfolio of financial clients, understanding business priorities and aligning tailored cyber solutions. Drive new client engagement while nurturing existing partnerships through a consultative, long-term approach. Present the benefits of advanced cyber services including threat intelligence, vulnerability management, incident readiness, and continuous risk monitoring. Collaborate with technical and delivery teams to ensure smooth engagement from proposal through to implementation and ongoing support. Prepare proposals, negotiate commercial terms, and clearly articulate value and business outcomes. Build trusted relationships at senior and board level. Ideal Profile Strong background in cybersecurity, consulting, or risk management within financial services. Skilled communicator with proven success managing and growing key accounts. Able to translate complex technical insight into commercial and strategic value for clients. Confident engaging with senior stakeholders and decision makers. Please note: Sponsorship is not available.
-
- SOC Analyst- Level 2- Hybrid Greater London
- London
- N/A
-
SOC Analyst- Level 2- Hybrid Greater London New opportunity created through continued growth. We’re looking for a SOC Analyst (Level 2) to strengthen a growing managed security team. You’ll work hands-on with Microsoft Sentinel and Defender XDR, investigating alerts, responding to incidents, and helping improve how clients stay protected. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys unravelling security events, thinking critically under pressure, and making a real difference day to day. What you’ll do · Investigate and respond to security activity across SIEM and endpoint tools · Analyse network and log data to uncover real threats · Support automation initiatives to streamline response processes · Help maintain visibility, data flow, and performance across SOC platforms What you’ll need · Practical experience using Microsoft Sentinel and Defender XDR · Confident working with KQL or similar query languages · Understanding of attacker tactics and response techniques · SC-200 certifications would be nice. · Experience supporting multiple customer environments Please note: Sponsorship is not available.
-
- Senior SOC Engineer - UK - New role due to growth
- London
- N/A
-
Senior SOC Engineer – New role due to growth We are hiring a Senior SOC Engineer to take the lead across security operations for a growing managed service. You will lead detection, response and onboarding activity across multiple clients, helping shape how the SOC evolves. Expect variety; from fine-tuning alerts and threat hunting to supporting customers and mentoring junior analysts. What you’ll bring · Strong experience across SIEM, EDR, and threat detection tools · Confident working with customers in a managed service environment · Skilled in scripting or query languages such as KQL or PowerShell · Knowledge of frameworks like NIST, ISO27001, MITRE ATT&CK · Calm communicator with a problem-solving mindset · Experience with Azure Lighthouse or delegated access models · Prior involvement in automation or SOC improvement projects Location: South East England- Hybrid role Please note: Sponsorship cannot be offered now or in the future.