The Google parent company Alphabet has appointed Anat Ashkenazi, currently CFO at the US pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly, as the new Chief Financial Officer. Ashkenazi will take over the position from Ruth Porat at the end of July, as Alphabet announced on Wednesday in Mountain View. Porat is to continue leading the finance department until Ashkenazi takes office and then take over the newly created division for corporate investments, as already announced in the summer of 2023.

Anat Ashkenazi brings extensive experience from her time at Eli Lilly, where she was significantly involved in financial strategy and corporate development. Her appointment is seen as a strategic move to further strengthen Alphabet's financial stability and growth strategy.

The Alphabet stock responded positively to the announcement and temporarily gained 0.98 percent on NASDAQ, reaching 175.50 US dollars. In contrast, Eli Lilly's shares dropped by 0.57 percent on the NYSE to 827.81 US dollars, which might be due to investor uncertainty about Ashkenazi's successor.

The decision to appoint Porat to a new role for investments underscores Alphabet's commitment to intensifying strategic investments and driving innovative projects forward. Porat, who has been serving as CFO at Alphabet since 2015, has established essential financial structures during her tenure and led the company through various economic challenges.

With the appointment of Ashkenazi and the new role of Porat, Alphabet positions itself for a dynamic financial future and sets a clear signal for strategic growth and sustainable investments.