Alphabet, Google’s parent company, was created through a restructuring announced in 2015.
Google announced the new holding-company structure on August 10, 2015. Under the arrangement, Alphabet became the parent company for Google and several other businesses, while Google retained its core internet products such as Search, YouTube, and Android. Larry Page became Alphabet’s chief executive, and Sergey Brin became its president.
The change was designed to separate Google’s central internet operations from more specialized or experimental ventures. It also gave investors clearer reporting about different parts of the wider business. Alphabet began trading under the ticker symbols previously used by Google after the restructuring took effect.
A common mistake is to treat Alphabet as a completely new operating company unrelated to Google. Alphabet is Google’s parent, and Google remains its largest and best-known subsidiary. The structure helped support Alphabet’s enormous market capitalization by grouping multiple technology and research businesses together.