Former Google CFO becomes Twitter board chairman

Canadian businessman Patrick Pichette is now chair of Twitter’s board of directors

Google’s former chief financial officer, Patrick Pichette, has taken over the role of chairman of Twitter’s board of directors, according to a Tuesday Securities and Exchange Commission by the social media giant.

Pichette became a lead independent director at the social media company on Dec. 31, 2018, the filing states. He will remain an independent board chair member. Pichette’s appointment follows the step-down of Executive Chairman Omid Kordestani on Monday.

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Patrick Pichette, ex-chief financial officer of Google Inc. is now chairman of Twitter's board of directors. (Norm Betts/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“Given the strength and depth of Twitter’s management team and Board, we believe that now is the right time to evolve our governance structure in-line with best practices,” a statement from Pichette reads. “Omid has been a valued member of our executive management and brought important leadership and stability to the team over the past five years.”

He added, “We are pleased to demonstrate our commitment to good governance and be in the position to make this important change. We look forward to continuing to benefit from Omid’s expertise on the Board.”

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Pichette was a CFO at Google from 2008 to 2015. Three years later, he became a general partner at inovia Capital, a Canadian venture capital firm that invests in a “passionate few,” according to Pichette’s LinkedIn bio.

He graduated from the University of Oxford in 1989, where he earned a master’s degree in philosophy, politics and economics.

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Kordestani, who also worked at Google as a chief business officer and senior officer for a year and three months, will remain on Twitter’s board as a non-employee director and will be paid as such, according to the SEC filing.

“It has been my great pleasure to work alongside Twitter’s management team and help advance its mission over the past five years,” Kordestani’s statement reads. “I have seen firsthand the significant changes Twitter has undertaken to strengthen and stabilize its leadership structure to achieve long-term sustainable growth and feel confident that I can now step back from my active role as executive chair.”

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“Patrick has been an important, independent voice in the boardroom and is the right person to assume this new role as independent chair,” the resigning chairman continued. “I look forward to continuing my work as a member of the Board.”