Standing Firm: How Google's CFO Patrick Pichette Challenged the Co-Founders and Refocused the Company

In 2011, Patrick Pichette was named CFO of Google, and he found himself at odds with the company's co-founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin. The conflict arose over the company's investment in a high-speed broadband network, which was a pet project of Page and Brin.

Pichette believed that the investment was too risky and that the company should focus on its core business of search and advertising. He also argued that the broadband project was taking resources away from other important initiatives.

Despite Page and Brin's strong support for the broadband project, Pichette continued to voice his concerns and push for a reassessment of the investment. He also worked to improve the company's financial discipline and to streamline its operations.

In the end, Pichette's persistence paid off. In 2016, Google announced that it was scaling back its broadband ambitions, citing cost concerns and technical challenges. The move was seen as a victory for Pichette, who had successfully challenged the co-founders and helped to refocus the company on its core business.

Pichette's success as CFO was recognized when he was named CFO of the Year by CFO Magazine in 2014. His story is an excellent example of the value that a strong CFO can bring to a company, even when in conflict with the CEO or co-founders, by prioritizing financial discipline and strategic focus.