Former Google Chief Financial Officer Patrick Pichette returned to the technology industry after a three-year hiatus, having joined Canadian iNovia Capital in order to become a venture capitalist, Recode reports. Mr. Pichette quit Google in March of 2015 in order to travel the world with his wife, having now decided it’s time to return from what was then described as a temporary retirement. The new development comes as somewhat of a surprise for many industry watchers as Mr. Pichette’s experience likely allowed him to take a CEO position at many prominent startups and companies, yet the executive opted it’s time for a career change. “I just didn’t want a boss,” he said in an interview with Recode, having clarified that any CEO role comes with “a pile of bosses” attached to it.
Mr. Pichette also said he has no interest in working “24/7” any longer, which a venture capitalist career allows for, whereas being a CEO in the Silicon Valley is a position that usually warrants much longer hours. The ex-Googler never worked as a venture capitalist but his role at the Mountain View, California-based tech giant saw him preside over billions of dollars of acquisitions, with the firm completing north of 200 M&A deals under his financial oversight. Mr. Pichette spent seven years with Google and resigned in an unexpected manner, having been succeeded by Ruth Porat whom the company poached from Morgan Stanley shortly after his departure.
Despite the years-long hiatus from work, Mr. Pichette insists he isn’t thinking about a permanent retirement but now simply wants to leverage his vast experience in the tech industry without being tied to a position with long working hours. “I’m going to work for another 30 years, with a bit of luck,” the industry veteran says. The Canadian national joined the now-Alphabet-owned company in 2008 from McKinsey & Company and Bell Canada. Three months after leaving Google, he received the National Order of Quebec, one of the highest civilian honors for merit a person can be awarded in the Canadian province. His position of an iNovia Capital General Partner will see him circulate between the VC firm’s offices in Toronto, Montreal, and London.