Alphabet’s provocative chief legal officer David Drummond is resigning, stating he has chosen to retire

The change of the keeper at Alphabet continues. 

It’s hardly been a month since Google originators Larry Page and Sergey Brin announced they would be moving away as the CEO and president of the search giant’s mother company. Now, one of their best leaders, Alphabet’s chief legal officer, David Drummond, informed the employees that he is too leaving the company.

The Note From David 

In a note shared with Bloomberg, Drummond stated that “with Larry and Sergey presently leaving their executive positions at Alphabet” and the company “starting an exciting new phase,” he is, after “thoughtful consideration,” retiring “to make space for the following generation of leaders.”

His retirement can’t shock many in Silicon Valley. 

In November, Alphabet’s board of directors started an investigation into how officials at the company have managed misconduct claims, making both an independent subcommittee and selecting a law firm to see into the issues. 

Controversies Around Drummond 

Probably, most of their attention was centered on Drummond, whose long-ago extramarital relationship with one employee with whom he yields a child initially surfaced in a story by The Information in 2017, and who more lately married a different employee from Google’s legal division.

Though Alphabet has continuously supported Drummond — he assisted in incorporating the company when it was established in 1998 and continued to be one of its top managers — the corporate giant came under obligation to do something after Drummond’s affair started to gather unwanted attention. 

Drummond produced a vast fortune during his career with Google, then Alphabet. 

He was given $47 million last year as a salary. 

According to fund filings pursued by CNBC, he further sold $77 million worth of stock at the beginning of this month, following sales of larger than $70 million in November and also in December, right before Page and Brin announced they were leaving their roles.

At the end of his note, he said, “I am eager for what the future maintains for Google, for Alphabet and me.”

Both Page and Brin continue on the board of Alphabet. 

Drummond’s last working day with the company is January 31.

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