Thomas Kurian, a former IIT Madras student, has achieved a remarkable feat, surpassing the net worth of his former colleague and Google CEO Sundar Pichai. While Pichai, celebrated as the highest-paid Indian employee with a staggering compensation of $226 million in 2022, leads a company valued at $1.17 trillion, Kurian, the CEO of Google Cloud, has amassed a net worth reportedly exceeding Rs 15,000 crore.
Kurian’s journey is a testament to his entrepreneurial spirit and strategic leadership. Born in Kerala and an alumnus of Bengaluru’s St Joseph’s Boys High School, he initially pursued studies at IIT Madras alongside his identical twin brother George Kurian. The brothers then made the pivotal decision to relocate to the United States, securing admissions at Princeton University. Equipped with an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business and a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, Kurian began his career at McKinsey and Company.
Following a fruitful six-year tenure at McKinsey, Thomas Kurian moved to Oracle, where he worked for 22 years, climbing the corporate ladder and eventually leading a team of 35,000 people across 32 countries. In 2018, he left Oracle due to disagreements with co-founder Larry Ellison.
Kurian then took the helm of Google Cloud, a position that marked a turning point in his career. He implemented strategic changes, placing a strong emphasis on customer service, and successfully revived the company. One of his notable initiatives to boost motivation was increasing the pay of Google Cloud salespeople.
Today, Kurian’s accomplishments have placed him among the most successful Indian entrepreneurs, proving that even a dropout from one of India’s most prestigious engineering institutes can achieve remarkable success on the global stage. His story serves as an inspiration to aspiring entrepreneurs and highlights the importance of pursuing one’s passion and vision.
