Inside Google's $100 mn gamble to retain YouTube CEO Neal Mohan in 2011

In 2011, YouTube CEO Neal Mohan was key to Google's ad and product strategy when X, backed by ex-boss David Rosenblatt, approached him to be its Chief Product Officer

Within Silicon Valley’s high-stakes arena, retaining top talent often requires bold moves — and Google’s $100 million bet on Neal Mohan is a textbook example. More than a decade ago, the tech giant shelled out a massive stock package to stop Mohan from jumping ship to rival X. The revelation surfaced recently on Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath’s podcast, where Mohan appeared as a guest. 

Kamath recalled reading about the extraordinary counteroffer made by Google in 2011. “I remember reading this thing about Google offering you $100 million not to quit. Not today, but 15 years ago, which was a lot of money,” Kamath said. Mohan did not deny the claim.

 

 

Inside the $100 million deal

At the time, Mohan was a central figure in Google’s advertising and YouTube product strategy. Twitter, aiming to strengthen its product leadership, had approached Mohan for the position of Chief Product Officer. The offer was reportedly championed by David Rosenblatt, Mohan’s former boss at DoubleClick and a board member at X. 

Sensing the risk of losing a valuable resource, Google swiftly responded with a counteroffer — restricted stock units worth over $100 million that would vest over several years. The offer was made even before an official one came through from X, according to a 2011 TechCrunch report. The move underscored Mohan’s growing influence and the strategic importance Google placed on keeping him. 

Interestingly, Mohan was not the only Google executive X was eyeing. Sundar Pichai, then leading Chrome and Chrome OS, was also approached. Google responded with a $50 million stock grant to retain him.

 

From startup roots to Silicon Valley leadership

Neal Mohan’s career trajectory reveals why Google was so determined to keep him. A Stanford University graduate in electrical engineering, Mohan started as a senior analyst at Andersen Consulting (now Accenture) in 1994. In 1997, he joined NetGravity, which was later acquired by DoubleClick. 

At DoubleClick, Mohan rose to become vice-president of business operations. He was instrumental in reshaping the company during tough times, and when Google acquired it in 2007 for $3.1 billion, Mohan transitioned into a senior role in Google’s ad division. 

By 2011, he was already shaping YouTube's product roadmap and had become indispensable to Google’s product development efforts. The $100 million retention deal turned out to be a prudent investment — his work proved pivotal in shaping YouTube’s future.   

 

Rise of a quiet tech leader

Mohan’s impact continued to grow after the failed X move. In 2015, he was appointed Chief Product Officer at YouTube, and by 2023, he had succeeded Susan Wojcicki as CEO of the platform. 

Despite his low public profile, Mohan remains one of the most influential figures in tech. Beyond his executive role, Mohan is also an Advisory Council Member at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.