Google Legal Chief David Drummond Leaving Amid Sexual Misconduct Accusations
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — David Drummond, the legal chief of Google parent company Alphabet, is leaving at the end of the month, following accusations of inappropriate relationships with employees.
Alphabet did not give a reason for Drummond's departure in a short regulatory filing Friday.
The company said last November that it was investigating sexual misconduct cases against executives. Claims against Drummond were included in the investigations.
Last August, a former Google employee, Jennifer Blakely, published a report of her relationship with Drummond. Drummond has acknowledged a relationship with Blakely. But in a statement at the time, he said he "never started" a relationship with anyone else at Alphabet.
The company said Drummond is not getting an exit package as part of his departure.
In a memo sent to employees, Drummond said that with founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin "now leaving their executive roles at Alphabet, the company is entering an exciting new phase, and I believe that it's also the right time for me to make way for the next generation of leaders."
He did not mention the misconduct allegations.
Drummond said Page and Brin asked for his help more than 20 years ago when what became Google and Alphabet was just an unincorporated startup. Drummond joined Google full time in 2002.
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