John Krafcik steps down as Waymo CEO, replaced by two co-CEOs
Tekedra Mawakana and Dmitri Dolgov will serve as co-CEOs.
Waymo CEO John Krafcik has announced that he’ll be resigning from his role as CEO. Tekedra Mawakana, Waymo’s chief operating officer, and Dmitri Dolgov, the company’s chief technology officer, will work together as co-CEOs from now on.
A detailed explanation for his departure or what his next plans were not provided by Krafcik. He said that he worked for five and a half exciting years leading the team and has decided to depart from the CEO role with Waymo and kick-off new adventures. Krafcik commented in a blog post that he is looking forward to a refresh period, reconnecting with old friends and family, and discovering new parts of the world.
In a statement to employees obtained by CNBC, Mawakana and Dolgov said, that they are energized by the road and opportunity waiting for them. “We’re committed to working alongside you to build, deploy and commercialize the Waymo driver and drive the success of our incredible team and this company.”
In 2005, Krafcik joined Waymo as its first CEO even before it was called Waymo, and he has led the division since. He’ll also be sticking around in at least some capacity as an adviser going forward. Krafcik served as president and CEO of Hyundai’s American operations before joining Waymo.