Google VP and GM–payments and Next Billion Users initiative– Caesar Sengupta has announced his exit from Google. Caesar played a key role in developing Google Pay along with other initiatives like ChromeOS and Next Billion Users during his 15-years stint with Google. His last day at Google is April 30, 2021.
Caesar did not reveal what he was planning to do next. “I haven’t decided what I will start next. I am going to take some time to chill, talk to interesting people, reconnect with the external world and ride my bike (my latest obsession, picked up during the lockdown),” he said in a LinkedIn post.
“After 15 years with Google, Caesar Sengupta has made a personal decision to leave the company and start something entrepreneurial outside of Google. Through his time at Google, Caesar has played a key role in starting, building and leading initiatives such as ChromeOS, Next Billion Users and Google Pay. We are excited to see what he builds next and wish him the best in his new journey,” said a Google spokesperson.
Here’s the full text of his farewell mail as shared by him on LinkedIn:
Hi team,
Jan 2006. I had just finished solving a linked list problem on the whiteboard during my Google interview when my interviewer asked me about my personal interests. I hesitatingly brought up my love of poetry. The interviewer immediately asked me to recite my favorite poem* and we then spent the next 10 minutes discussing it. At that instant I knew that a company where two engineers discussed beauty, emotions and poetry during an interview was something special and I had to sign up. And so I did.
I had walked into the interview thinking I would spend only a few years learning how to build consumer products and then go start a company. Little did I know that I would fall in love with the people, the culture and the incredible opportunity and end up staying ~15 years. But it’s time now for me to venture out and start on a new mission.
My time at Google has never been a job for me, and I’ve been very fortunate to have had the opportunity to start and work on products that have positively impacted millions of people’s everyday lives.
ChromeOS team: congratulations on making ChromeOS the #2 OS in the world! You’ve changed how students learn in millions of classrooms & homes around the world and are on track to make computers truly accessible to everyone, everywhere!
NBU team: Over the last 5 years you have helped pivot a massive company towards a very important segment, the Next Billion Users, who need our magic the most. You’ve been true innovators – fearlessly creating new and helpful products, pivoting them when they were not scaling and tirelessly pouring gas on them when they’ve hit the groove (Tez/GPay & Files). You gave voice to the forgotten, taught the world how to build for everyone, everywhere and helped make Google a much loved company in many countries around the world. With Google’s push to build for new internet users there’s even higher excitement across the company to build for NBU. I’m looking forward to what magic you create next.
Google Pay team: You started by helping catalyze the digital payments transformation in India. Today millions of users, billions of transactions and many million merchants later even street side sellers are using GPay to accept payments! And all this in just over 3 years. Then fighting through one of the worst years in human history you brought a reimagined GPay to the US & Singapore. Launch feedback was very positive and growth has been strong especially with younger and more mobile users. You’re riding one of the biggest waves in tech that will change everyone’s relationship with money. Hold on tight. You have the right strategy, the right team and the wind is on your back. This ride will be epic!
Payments Platform team: You are the silent champions powering Google’s financial growth. Without your tireless efforts, none of Google’s businesses would be able to grow and transact safely and securely. You’ve done incredible work over the last few years to rebuild the engines while flying full speed. I’m looking forward to seeing how you enable everyone, everywhere to pay and make money from Google.
Google Finance (finance.google.com) Team: You’ve taken a much loved Google property, revamped it beautifully and made it available to the world. I know you have big plans for the future – looking forward to seeing how you help more people understand the power of the stock market and make investing more accessible and equitable for everyone.
NBU Country Teams: To the many, many Googlers working in Africa, APAC, LATAM and MENA, it has been inspiring to hear your voices take more weight in the products Google builds. I know there is so much more work to do. But we are light years ahead of where we were just a short time ago. You’ve helped digitize your economies, made Google feel local and driven Google’s investment into your countries to unprecedented levels. Your passion and leadership is making Google better and laying the foundation for a successful future for users everywhere. Thank you for everything you do, everyday, for our next billion users.
Working with all of you and having the opportunity to serve you as your leader is one of the biggest highlights of my life. Thank you for trusting me, teaching me, letting me learn through my mistakes and for inspiring me every step of the way.
My last day at Google will be April 30th. I haven’t decided what I will start next. I am going to take some time to chill, talk to interesting people, reconnect with the external world and ride my bike (my latest obsession, picked up during the lockdown)! I know that my decision may come as a shock to many of you, and I apologize for any pain or disappointment this might cause. But you’ve often heard me say that our time on earth is our most precious resource, and it’s time for me to find a new way to make my impact on it.
As I embark on this next chapter of my life, I am incredibly grateful to this wonderful company and our leadership, especially Sundar, who took a bet on me, a novice PM, a decade and a half back, sponsored me, gave me the opportunity to learn, grow, make mistakes and build deep friendships that I will cherish forever. I am also thankful to my leadership team and all of you for everything you’ve accomplished, driven by our mission to help unlock economic opportunity and make Google feel like it is built for everyone. I feel like I went to product and team building school at Google and I don’t think I’ll ever be able to fully express how grateful I am for that opportunity. The world is going digital at a faster pace than ever before and with the depth of talent at Google, the best is yet to come.
At this point my priority is to ensure that we keep executing brilliantly with minimal disruption. I know that you all have the steadfast support of our leadership, who are confident in the strategic importance of Payments and NBU. I can’t wait to see our collective vision come to life in the months and years ahead as I cheer for you all from afar.
I leave, my heart full of gratitude and joy, celebrating the many many beautiful moments Google and all of you have given me. Thank you 🙏🙏🙏
~Caesar
*All you who sleep tonight by Vikram Seth
All you who sleep tonight
Far from the ones you love,
No hands to left or right,
And emptiness above –
Know that you aren’t alone.
The whole world shares your tears,
Some for two nights or one,
And some for all their years.